Review of mid90s (2018) by Keithdow — 30 Oct 2018

'Mid90s' is largely a reflection of first time writer/director Jonah Hill himself--smart, grounded, and oftentimes nostalgic. The film delves into the ubiquitous skate culture of the 1990's replete with all the trimmings, including Discmans, WWF buddy pillows, and Big Brother magazines. Hill took inspiration from other street culture movies that were actually made during the period in which this film is set, most notably Harmony Korine's 'Kids,' though 'Mid90s' is far less visceral and provocative, which is to be expected considering Korine presumably has a chapter written about him in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Though a handful of scenes would've played out better had Hill chosen a slightly older actor to play the lead, his camera work is top notch and the film picks up steam along the way, resulting in a pleasing and somewhat evocative debut.