by Garret Lualdi ’22, A&E Contributor
On Thursday, March 7, the Campus Activities Board (CAB) held a campus screening of the film
Mid90s
directed by Jonah Hill. The showing, held in Bradford Auditorium in the Kirner-Johnson building, also featured an assortment of 90s-themed snacks. The sugary treats ranged from packs of “Ring Pops” to “Gushers” to tubes of “Go-Gurt.”
The throwback, however, was not limited to the bright yellow packaging of the decade’s food staples. Jonah Hill’s directorial debut thrives on the cornerstones of 90s nostalgia, turning a coming-of-age drama into an aesthetic treasure trove from what has been dubbed the “golden age of hip-hop.”
On the surface, Hill’s endeavor into the world of directing stands as a stark divergence from the 2007 coming-of-age film,
Superbad
, in which he plays a leading role — a role that has become one of the actor’s most famous. Truthfully, Hill’s public image in Hollywood before
Mid90s
seemed to better resemble the crude, ridiculous comedy of Superbad. And while he has played more serious roles in the past, such as in
The Wolf of Wall Street
(2013), it is with movies like the
Jump Street
franchise (2012, 2014) and
Superbad
that he has arguably become most associated with.
But with
Mid90s
, Hill leaves his comedic caricature behind. Instead, he emerges in the world of directing with
intent to craft his own coming-of-age drama that, in many ways, pays homage to aspects of his own childhood. Accompanied by a playlist of 90s alternative rock and hip-hop music curated by Hill himself,
Mid90s
’ take on the lifestyle of 90s LA skate culture is particularly indebted to Jonah Hill’s own youth and to the music and skateboarding that he recognizes to be fundamental parts of the person he is today.
Set in 1990s Los Angeles,
Mid90s
proudly places the skate culture of LA on display. The film features 13-year-old protagonist Stevie, played by Sunny Suljic, who comes from a low-income home and an abusive family. As he falls into the social circle of four older skaters, played by Olan Prenatt, Na’Kel Smith, Lucas Hedges, and Gio Galicia, Stevie’s own introduction to LA skate culture becomes a gradual transition between two different worlds. This transition into the world of skating in LA, as seen through Stevie’s eyes, serves as the vessel for the viewer’s own slow immersion into Jonah Hill’s nostalgic wonderland.
But the world that
Mid90s
portrays isn’t one full of chocolate rivers or yellow brick roads. Rather,
Variety
called the film “a coming-of-age tale that’s unvarnished enough to believe.” This lack of varnish captures the essence of what makes
Mid90s
so compelling. The raw, uncut truth behind the film is what pulls the viewer in for the duration of its 85-minute runtime.
Whether it’s in moments where we are thrust into the oppressive and abusive environment of Stevie’s home, or when the young skaters reflect candidly on the importance of skating in their lives, we see a certain realism that is often glorified or blatantly omitted in most Hollywood films. With
Mid90s
, these moments instead feel at home, the discomfort of aspects of the kids’ lives are displayed with a genuineness that only comes with an honest approach to filmmaking.
For all of its warm and fuzzy nostalgia, the sincerity of
Mid90s
time and time again reaffirms itself throughout the film, a testament to Jonah Hill’s efforts to capture the essential reality of growing up immersed in a world of skating and hip-hop culture. Truly,
Mid90s
is at its best when it’s taken at face value and seen simply for what it is — an honest snapshot of the music and skating culture Jonah Hill grew up with.
The film may have its shortcomings — some think the characters underdeveloped and the plot too scattered. Others would argue that the movie doesn’t try to be real enough or that it never reaches any sort of resolution or “ah-ha!” moment. But regardless of the criticisms,
Mid90s
stands as moment of honest reflection for Jonah Hill, and that, above all else, should count for something.
