This may seem like a film that only falls under a specific audience. However, any kind of audience can connect to this film on some level. This film is based on a true story of the Dogtown “Z-boys” of Zephyr skate team members from the 1970s, and was written by one them. This is the story about how skateboarding begun to rise. A film set in California about a group of teen surfers - mainly three boys: Stacy Peralta; Tony Alva; and Jay Adams - who discover empty swimming pools are a great use for skateboarding, and eventually, a new sport is born. [spoiler]Throughout the film, the three boys seem to get what they want. Fame, money, girls, fortune. However, throughout the film, the whole original Zephyr team splits up leaving their team manager Skip Engblom behind, sort of suffering through the outcome of the team he created and becoming a drunk. In the end, the boys realize that they don’t seem to be extremely happy with the outcome of fame, and realize that what was truly important was family and friends.[/spoiler]

This film is so beautifully shot, and though the acting may seem cheesy, in a way, characters were still so incredibly well portrayed and extremely real. Heath Ledger did such an incredible job portraying Skip Engblom. I was amazed by his talent. I had only ever seen him in 10 Things I Hate About You, which I thought was an alright movie so I didn’t really pay attention to Heath’s acting skills. Shortly after watching Lords of Dogtown, I watched The Dark Knight and though I was not a fan of that movie either, wow was Heath incredibly amazing as the Joker. Additionally, Emile Hirsch also did an incredible job at portraying his character Jay Adams. We see such goodness and beauty in his character. An honest personality.

Overall, this movie was soooo good, it made me get into skateboarding. Skateboarding is such an incredibly beautiful sport, because it is so much more than just a regular sport, it is a form of expressing yourself. This film is overall about skateboarding, but it touches so many different topics that literally anyone could relate to this film. A beautiful representation of friendship.

***The birth of skateboard culture***

In the mid-70s, the accomplishments of the innovative Zephyr skateboarding team of Venice, California, are dramatized based on events chronicled in skater Stacy Peralta’s documentary “Dogtown and Z-Boys” (2001). John Robinson plays Stacy, Emile Hirsch plays Jay and Victor Rasuk plays Tony (aka T.A.). Heath Ledger is on hand as Skip Zephyr while Rebecca De Mornay appears as one of the teens’ struggling mother.

While I suppose “Lords of Dogtown” (2005) is a sports flick, it’s just as much a coming-of-age movie detailing growing-up on the bad side of Venice, aka Dogtown, the birthplace of America’s skateboard culture, which influenced the world.

It reminded me of the dissolute environment depicted in “River’s Edge” (1986) with elements of Jim Morrison’s hedonistic misadventures from “The Doors” (1991), but combined with skateboard action, like skating in dry backyard pools and various competitions. It’s a good movie with slightly amped-up events (so what else is new?), but somewhat hampered by a curiously dismal air with occasional dialogues that don’t work. Maybe I found it slightly depressing because it reminded me of the glory & shame of my teen years. The 70’s soundtrack is great, however.

The film runs 1 hour, 47 minutes and was shot in the Los Angeles area, including Venice Beach, Imperial Beach and Santa Monica.

GRADE: B-