Jonah Hill’s directorial debut, Mid90’s, is a raw and intimate coming of age film that introduces viewers to the underground skateboarding scene of Los Angeles in the 1990’s. The film follows a thirteen year old boy Stevie played by Sunny Suljic, who later on earns the nickname “Sunburn”,A lonely and troubled kid searching for belonging.

The film is set against the backdrop of an era defined by mixtapes, VHS tapes, and unfiltered adolescence. Mid90’s captures the reckless energy of youth hitting its audience with authenticity. Stevie finds comfort in a small adolescent group of older skaters, played by real life skateboarders Na-kel smith, Olan Prenatt, Fio Galicia, and Ryder McLaughlin. As Stevie gets absolutely absorbed into their world, he experiences the highs and lows of teenage rebellion, partying, drugs, and the painful process of growing up.

Jonah Hill’s direction is deeply personal, using very grainy and old 16mm cinematography to take the viewers to a time before smartphones and social media. The film’s lo-fi aesthetic and nostalgic hip-hop soundtrack that further shows its eye capturing quality.

One of the film’s strengths is its natural and real life performances. Sunny Suljic delivers a perfectly outstanding performance as Stevie, being able to balance innocence and recklessness with subtlety. The film clearly avoids over dramatizing its narrative, instead going for a more personal or realistic approach that feels more like a documentary than a scripted movie. The dialogue, often being improvised, adds to the film’s authenticity, making the characters feel like real kids rather than Hollywood’s tacky version of them. While the film may not be for everyone due to its rough language and raw themes, it is a heartfelt and deeply personal film that perfectly executes a moment in time. It’s not just showing love to skateboarding, but it’s a tribute to the messy, complicated journey of growing up with a rough childhood.