Parents' Guide to

Lords of Dogtown

By Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Portrait of Venice, CA, '70s teen skater culture.

Movie PG-13 2005 107 minutes
Lords of Dogtown Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 1 parent review

kekoabay
kekoabay Adult
June 16, 2011
age 16+

Great Movie, not a good example for kids

I think the common sense review is a little too watered down on the social messages given. There is not only misbehaving, they are pretty rude and display very inappropriate social behaviors. In the context of the film it is okay because it is about real people, but I don't want my kids acting like that. The movie is great and it shows the aspects of life that many youth in that era experienced. It is pretty cool to see how things evolved in the world of skateboarding.

This title has:

Too much swearing
Too much consumerism
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
1 person found this helpful.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

LORDS OF DOGTOWN focuses on three wannabe Venice Beach surfers turned champion skaters -- Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk), Peralta (John Robinson), and Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch) -- as well as their initial mentor, scruffy Zephyr team founder Skip (Heath Ledger). The virtuoso skaters are laying the foundations for Tony Hawk, video games, and the X Games. Their visions of how they might leave lasting impressions differ. Skip plays loud music (Hendrix is a favorite), puts the team through tough paces on their boards, and even provides them with a vague sense of belonging when he gives them matching t-shirts. As the boys face their suddenly burgeoning fame (pretty girls in shorts, all-night parties, televised competitions, and endorsements), greed is incarnated by opportunistic promoter Topper (Johnny Knoxville pimped out to resemble Kid Rock). Jay is especially torn, as he wants to support his weary working mom (Rebecca De Mornay), but really doesn't want to have to sing the "Slinky" song to make money.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (4):

Poised to be great, fast fun, this movie is too often slowed by clichés. The most thrilling moments in Lords of Dogtown feature skateboard wheels. More precisely, cameras mounted on and even under skateboards, so that the whirring of wheels, slamming over pavement, and hurtling headlong into air seem immediate and vital. But aside from this stunty camerawork, Catherine Hardwicke's second feature (her first was the affecting Thirteen) tells a conventional story. Based on the real life adventures of the same skaters at the center of writer Stacy Peralta's documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys, in turn based on a 1999 Spin article and Peralta's own skateboarding experiences, the fictionalized film is less about cultural resistance and wild riding in empty swimming pools than about capitulation.

The movie's most compelling question is unresolvable, as in itself it replicates the problem of selling out, by further exploiting the success of Peralta's documentary. Skip, of all people, ends up looking like the heroic holdout, broke but determined to stay true to his vision -- always ready to surf, never overwhelmed by career.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the many ways that kids can rebel against authority and convention and what does and doesn't appeal to them about skater culture. Families can talk about what is and isn't compelling about rebellion. How does the movie alternately celebrate and question the main characters' choices? What does selling out mean to kids? And what are kids willing to sacrifice either to make money or follow their dreams?

Movie Details

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