Skateland (2011)

It has almost become a cliché in itself to dedicate a film or work to the late John Hughes. Cliché is definitely not the correct word to use, but it’s all I got. Give me a break. Now, I love John Hughes. He founded modern film, and founded my personal love of film (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius), but so many people have dedicated their work to him, it doesn’t mean anything anymore. I can almost guarantee you that if (when) I make movies, I will dedicate one to Mr. Hughes. But for now, when it’s free territory, I’m gonna complain about it. So, ha. Either way, the plotline of Skateland concerns a boy (Shiloh Fernandez) who just doesn’t know what to do with his life. He’s stuck in the middle of his perfect world, working at this roller rink in the 80s. He has a nice girlfriend (Ashley Greene), and a lot of friends, especially an older one he looks up to (think Matthew McConaughey from Dazed and Confused). He lives his life drinking beer and smoking what people in the 80s smoked. But he slowly stays in his perfect little world, while the world around him moves on. The film becomes less about an homage to the 80s movies, and becomes more like it’s character’s feeling in the film-jumbled, convoluted, and alone-wait. This film is genius! The film is him, and it’s confusing and jumbled because he is-no, never mind. I actually do like this film. I really do. But with a tribute to one of the greatest modern filmmakers ever to grace celluloid, you have to expect more than this. The acting is sub-par, the direction straight out of television, and the writing standard and uneventful. But the film has a charm to it that makes me not hate it. I can’t explain it. It’s just not that bad of a film.
7/10