LORDS OF DOGTOWN
Directed by: Catherine Hardwicke.
Produced by: John Linson.
Written by: Stacy Peralta.
Director of Photography: Elliot Davis.
Edited by: Nancy Richardson.
Music by: Mark Mothersbaugh.
Released by: TriStar.
Country of Origin: USA. 107 min. Rated: PG-13.
With: Emile Hirsch, Victor Rasuk, Heath Ledger, John Robinson, Michael Angarano, Nikki Reed, Rebecca De Mornay & Johnny Knoxville.

Catherine Hardwicke’s sophomore effort opens with spray-painted credits while the unforgiving waves of the Pacific punish the youth of Venice, or Dogtown, as they affectionately call it. Though their passion is surfing, the teenagers’ futures depend on the skateboards they ride to work, a surf shop where they putz around under the tutelage of Skip (Heath Ledger). A hand-held camera, replete with dizzying zooms and rabid editing, follows the boys as they skate, dodging makeshift obstacles like overturned trash cans and staircases. Based on real-life skateboarders, the film follows the “Z-boys,” as they’re called, through empty swimming pools, jam-packed arenas, and the glossy pages of popular skating magazines on their respective paths to fame and fortune. But the boys have to choose - stay loyal to their roots and stick together, making headlines as a team, or take what they can get, marketing their own individual successes, which would inevitably threaten their friendship.

Dressed like a gang member, with his head shaved and neck tattooed, fans of Emile Hirsch (The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys) will not recognize him. As Jay Adams, the founding father of competitive skating, his face is a stone wall we can see right through. John Robinson (Elephant) shows off his budding acting skills as the skater with something to prove, Stacy Peralta. When Skip calls Stacy his “bro,” Robinson’s naturally rosy cheeks blush even brighter, having apparently received a compliment of the highest order. In addition to becoming a skating legend, Peralta wrote the film’s screenplay and has a promising career making documentaries about extreme sports and its unlikely heroes, such as his own take on skateboarding (Dogtown and Z-Boys).

The film is anchored by its supporting cast, especially Ledger, who is charming and likable for the first time in a long time. Johnny Knoxville steals nearly every scene he’s in as a pimped-out skating sponsor. The most interesting performance, however, belongs to Michael Angarano as Sid, the Lords’ lovable best friend who doesn’t have the look or the skills to be a pro-skater, but is accepted regardless. Perhaps best known as Elliot, Jack’s son on Will & Grace, his role as an outsider trying to fit in stands out amongst the pretty faces. Lords of Dogtown also boasts the greatest soundtrack since Dazed and Confused, featuring a veritable who’s who of popular artists from the ‘60’s and ‘70’s.

For those familiar with Thirteen, Hardwicke is treading similar ground here, and one has to hand it to her for her no-holds-barred depiction of teenage trials and tribulations. Though there is a very specific audience waiting to see this film, her raw style and relentless camera work have made it accessible to non-fans of the sport. Lords of Dogtown exceeds expectations because of its ensemble cast and the eye-grabbing way Hardwicke tells the story, which is pretty straightforward. She succeeds in making a spectacle of the unspectacular and holding our attention for two hours. Not even the new Tony Hawk video game can do that. Jeff Sneider
May 26, 2005