In a year filled with more directorial debuts than people currently enrolled in Oswego’s film program, needless to say there are going to be some interesting choices made. Previously mentioned examples include “Sorry to Bother You,” “Thoroughbreds,” “Hereditary,” “Tag,” “Eighth Grade” and many more. There is one, however, that finally stood out among the rest. Despite still suffering from a few of the problems that afflicted many films this year, one stands out amongst an entire year of mediocrity as one of the most raw, passionate and heart-filled experiences of the year. That film is “Mid90s.”
Directed by Jonah Hill (“Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot”), “Mid90s” tells the story of Stevie (Sunny Suljic, “The Killing of a Sacred Deer”), one of the coolest kids alive in 1995. He lives with his unattentive single mother Dabney (Katherine Waterston, “Logan Lucky”) and his abusive, insecure gangster-wannabe older brother Ian (Lucas Hedges, “Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri”). Wanting to get away from this life, he walks into a skate shop one day and befriends the residents that hang out there regularly. Comprised of instantly memorable characters: Ray (Na-Kel Smith), F*** Sh*t (Olan Prenatt), Fourth Grade (Ryder McLaughlin) and Ruben (Gio Galicia). It is through his interactions with this crew of young skaters that Stevie finds his identity in one of the most unique additions to the resurgence of young adult/teen coming-of-age movies.
Hill, despite being a first-timer, directs this film like a pro. The camera work and set design are out of this world, constantly keeping a fresh, consistent tone that feels real and lived in. This film is most likely going to be compared to Harmony Korine’s “Kids,” which is ironic, considering Korine has a blink-or-you-will-miss-it cameo in the film.
Rather than just be a simple skater film, “Mid90s” is more so about the lifestyle these characters live than being focused on skating. The film is not about them competing for a skating contest or trying to escape from their harsh upbringings. Rather, it focuses on their lifestyle and how that influences each of them. Hill’s writing style is also a massive factor here, as the dialogue feels lived-in and raw. It generates some of the most authentic and instantly memorable lines of the entire year, specifically from the character of F*** Sh*t, who is going to become an icon in the years to come.
Despite F*** Sh*t having all the one-liners, the heart of the film is without a shadow of a doubt Smith as Ray. The de facto leader of the group, Ray is the one who lets Stevie into their world and sees himself as a mentor of all the kids and their problems however, just like them, he also has his fair share of tragedy pushing him, more than any of them, to try and get out of his surroundings by going pro. Smith’s delivery of his lines is so subtle it is snake-like; it creeps up on viewers and leaves them speechless when the other shoe drops to reveal his backstory. In addition, Lucas Hedges knocks it out of the park with yet another killer performance, completely transcending his previous three performances to deliver one of the most terrifying yet tragic characters put to screen this year.
Despite a killer cast of supporting players, the star of the movie is Suljic as Steve, or Sunburn, as he comes to be known later on, in quite possibly the best pre-teen performance since Max Records in “Where the Wild Things are.” For a main character of very few words, Suljic manages to translate the inner pain and aspiration that Stevie feels to the big screen with flawless ease. In addition, the movie even goes so far as to make the audiences feel nostalgic for the ’90s, which, in hindsight, may date it, but that is unlikely because of how authentic an atmosphere it generates. If anything, the nostalgia helps even more.
Overall, this film, several months later, still easily holds up as the best film of the year. What this film lacks in large grandiose storytelling, crammed-in societal messages/metaphors and massive CG effects, it makes up for with amazing characters, heartbreaking realism and nostalgia for a much simpler time period, when people could just go out, skate and have fun with their friends. Hill has officially become the Jordan Peele (“Get Out”) of 2018, and he has more than earned his status as the #goat. “Mid90s” is a movie that needs to be seen by everyone.
Image from A24 via YouTube
