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Dogtown and Z-Boys

(2002, Rated PG-13, Documentary, Starring Jay Adams, Tony Alta, Stacy Peralta)

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 14, age appropriate for kids over 16; suggested age 14.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0

  • Common Sense says

    Before Tony Hawk, skateboarding had the Z-Boys.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 14–16

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Team members are described as aggressive. Various members discuss drug abuse, promiscuous sex, and overall excessive behavior. This film does, however, present a refreshing multicultural vision of skaters. The film also includes the illusive female skater (Peggy Oki, an original member of the Zephyr team).

  • Violence:

    Some skateboard scrapes, dangerous surfing practices.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Some strong language.

  • Consumerism:

    Ads for various specific tennis shoes and skateboards while discussing the commercialization of the sport.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Images of alcohol consumption and pot smoking, discussion of drug abuse
 

What Parents Need to Know

About Dogtown and Z-Boys

Parents need to know that this film includes some profane language used in casual discussion. Interviewees discuss sexual escapades and drug use, but neither of these activities are main topics of conversation. Parents should be forewarned that the film glamorizes trespassing and rule-breaking. However, the majority of the film simply centers on the evolution of skateboarding and its Dogtown roots.

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Families Can Talk About

  • Families can talk about how the present skateboard culture today compares with that of the 1970s. Both Stacey Peralta and Tony Alva chose to embrace product sponsorship as they climbed the ladder to success. Would you consider this selling ut? After leaving the Z-Boys, tacey and Tony became archrivals. How did money and celebrity contribute to the demise of their friendship? Jay wound up shunning sponsorship and succumbing to drug use. How do you think environment played a role in his actions, specifically the neighborhood in which he was raised and the people he associated with? The Z-Boys garnered instant success, having little means to cope with it. Parents may want to relate this experience to the ways in which pop stars like Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff have handled their celebrity.
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