FilmSnobReviews

Title: Skate Kitchen
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Crystal Moselle
Starring: Rachelle Vinberg, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Jaden Smith
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins

What It Is: Camille (Vinberg) is a teenager obsessed with skating. When she gives herself the ole credit card, injuring herself, her mother (Rodriguez) asks her to stop skating because of this sort of injury. When she sees an open invite to skate in nearby New York City she goes, meeting a group of girls that all live and love to skate…much like her. When a boy (Smith) enters the picture it complicates things with her and her friends.

What We Think: This was surprisingly good. Moselle has a future behind the lens and I can’t wait to see what she has in store going forward. All the performances here are real. It feels like Moselle is just pointing her camera at real friends and letting it roll. The chemistry between all the young women feels so organic and that plays to how the feature is directed. It does this wonderfully. It’s a basic story told well enough. One that has what I like to call the classic “New York” filter on it. A grit and gravely style that is reminiscent of the big apple.

Our Grade: B+, This is a film that isn’t going to be easy to find but it is certainly worth going out of your way to do so. Not only will you get a rather gripping tale but one full of emotions and good performances. Given my previous words, I recommend this one. The young actresses don’t even feel like actresses. That’s this one’s biggest secret weapon. It’s real. Skating films are always going to get my attention, I mean I grew up in Southern California hit the pavement mongo while goofy footed. Having said all that I’m looking forward to whatever everyone here decides to do next.