Skate your way over to ‘Mid90s’

A24 returns with Jonah Hill’s directorial debut, “Mid90s.” This coming-of-age story focuses on Stevie (played by Sunny Suljic), a young boy growing up in broken home in Los Angeles during the 1990s. The film follows his relationship with a group of skateboarders who introduce him to a life of skating, hanging back and living on the streets.

This raw, gritty tale makes for a solid directorial debut from Hill. The entirety of the film remains consistently unflinching in its look at street life and the hardships of youth in such environments. The screenplay makes use of this with a strong feeling of authenticity in the dialogue and the exploration of the characters.

The cast here is nothing short of perfection in their portrayals of these characters. Every character in the film feels believable in just how truly human they all are. Full of flaws yet still holding onto their dreams, they’re all relatable in one way or another — particularly the relationship between Stevie and Ray (played by Na-kel Smith). The meaning behind their friendship truly pulls on the heartstrings without ever feeling manipulative or sappy, thanks to the film’s dedication to its grounded tone.

The film’s style and presentation also proved to be surprisingly great for the first-time director. The choice to shoot the entirely on 16mm was bold, but helped give the film’s urban environment the extra level of grit needed to fully convey a down-to-earth quality. The soundtrack, consisting of a number of ’90s hip-hop songs, is also a highlight.

If there were any changes to point out, it would be to prolong the runtime of the film — something I rarely say for films, especially nowadays. A number of intriguing character dynamics and relationships could have been developed further to leave a stronger impact at the end.

“Mid90s” is one of the most human experiences of the year. The identifiable characters, settings and themes are likely to resonant with plenty. It’s a story that anyone who has ever felt the need to belong will connect with. So stop what you’re doing and ride your board to the see “Mid90s.”