Mid90s (2018)
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A 13-year-old boy in 1990s Los Angeles finds a sense of belonging among a group of local skateboarders to escape a troubled home life.
The story
In 1996, 13-year-old Stevie lives in Los Angeles with his physically abusive older brother Ian and single mother Dabney. Seeking an escape from his difficult home life, Stevie begins spending time with a local group of skateboarders at Motor Avenue Skateshop. He befriends a group of skaters, including the charismatic leader Ray, and begins to immerse himself in their lifestyle. Despite being an inexperienced skater, Stevie is drawn to the group's camaraderie and begins to adopt their attitudes. As he navigates the complexities of his personal life and his new identity within the skate culture, he faces the consequences of his choices and the realities of the lives of those around him.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1996, 13-year-old Stevie lives in Los Angeles with his physically abusive older brother Ian and single mother Dabney. After discovering a local skate shop, Stevie joins a group of skaters including Ray, Ruben, Fuckshit, and Fourth Grade. While he struggles with his identity and the dangers of the lifestyle—including substance use and a head injury—he finds a sense of belonging. After a series of escalating conflicts, including a violent fight with his brother and a car accident caused by his friends, Stevie is hospitalized. In the aftermath, his mother encourages his friends to visit him. The film concludes with Fourth Grade showing the group a skate video of their adventures, which he has titled 'Mid90s'.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 85
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jonah Hill
- Writers
- Jonah Hill · writer
- Cast and characters
- Sunny Suljic · Stevie "Sunburn"; Lucas Hedges · Ian, Stevie's abusive older brother; Na-Kel Smith · Ray; Olan Prenatt · Fuckshit; Gio Galicia · Ruben; Ryder McLaughlin · Fourth Grade; Alexa Demie · Estee; Katherine Waterston · Dabney, Ian and Stevie's mother
- Genres
- comedy-drama; coming-of-age
- Themes
- coming-of-age; skate culture; brotherhood; substance abuse
- Tone and mood
- nostalgic; unvarnished
- Premise and plot tags
- 1990s; skateboarding; Los Angeles
- Content notes
- racist slurs; toxic masculinity; juvenile sexuality
- Reception
- The film was well received by critics, who praised its sense of nostalgia and described it as a promising debut for Jonah Hill. Some critics noted its use of slurs and its portrayal of toxic masculinity.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 81% · scale: percentage · review count: 228; Metacritic · score: 66 · scale: 100 · review count: 45; PostTrak · score: 83% · scale: percentage
- Production trivia
- Filmed with a 4:3 aspect ratio to mimic VHS skate tapes; Used Super 16mm film stock to emulate 1990s skate videos; Included real-life skateboarders with little acting history
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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