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SKATE KITCHEN
Director: Crystal Moselle Cast: Rachelle Vinberg, Ardelia Lovelace, Nina Moran, Jaden Smith, Elizabeth Rodriguez MPAA
Rating: Running Time: 1:46 Release Date: 8/10/18 (limited); 8/24/18 (wider) |
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Capsule review by Mark Dujsik | August 23, 2018 Skate Kitchen doesn't always feels like fiction. To a certain extent, it's not. Director Crystal Moselle, making her narrative debut, once made a short documentary about a group of young women who skateboard in New York City. The filmmaker has cast those skaters here for a simple story that's about finding one's place with like-minded people, the aimless freedom of doing what one loves just for the love of it, and the joys of nailing a certain trick or simply coasting down the streets of the city without a care in the world. More than anything else, this vision of this lifestyle feels authentic—and not just the skating, which is performed by the eponymous group, either. There's a certain laid-back attitude that's entrancing here. It's obvious that all of these skaters-turned-actors are friends, and the screenplay (co-written by Moselle, Jen Silverman, and Aslihan Unaldi) capitalizes on this fact. As for a plot, it's mostly to do with Camille (Rachelle Vinberg), a Long Island resident who skates and idolizes the Skate Kitchen crew through social media. Her mother (played by Elizabeth Rodriguez) disapproves of her daughter's passion, which sends Camille on a rebellious trip downtown, where she becomes fast friends with the crew. They skate in local parks and any place where there's nice pavement or obstacles. They hang out on the streets or at the home of Janay (Ardelia Lovelace) to talk about anything—boys, girls, sex, feminine products, family, friends. They skate some more, record their sessions, and post them online. We get a sense of the established and instant camaraderie between these young women, but it's Camille's story that's the focus. She has felt alone in her life but has found kindred spirits among these skaters. She has a falling out with her mother shortly after her 18th birthday, sending her to stay with Janay. She has her first serious crush on Devon (Jaden Smith), a skater and photographer whom all of the girls say is trouble. We sympathize with her and the way her life begins to become more and more complicated, because she has no previous experience with how friendships and romances and other such relationships work. That's the other side of freedom. It can be joyous and messy, and with its realistic depiction of these characters and this way of life, Skate Kitchen gives us an engaging depiction of both sides. Copyright © 2018 by Mark Dujsik. All rights reserved. |
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(for
drug use and language throughout, strong sexual content, and some nudity
- all involving teens)
