Jonah Hill’s directorial debut mid90s is a slow-burn coming-of-age drama set in 1996 Los Angeles. It follows Stevie, a 13-year-old boy who trades his troubled home life for a crew of older skateboarders at Motor Avenue Skateshop. The film is a portrait of adolescence as a series of small humiliations and minor epiphanies, and it is anchored by a performance from Sunny Suljic that carries the weight of a kid who feels both lucky and trapped.
Hill wrote the script and directs with a loose, observational eye. The film is shot in 4:3 aspect ratio, emulating VHS skate footage, and scored with 1990s hip-hop, punk and alternative rock. It is a nostalgic exercise, but it is also a portrait of a boy trying to find a tribe that might hurt him.
Trailer, via A24.
Stevie’s Home Life
Stevie lives with his physically abusive older brother Ian and single mother Dabney. His home is a place of fear and silence, where he trades with Ian for a skateboard to escape. The trade is a small act of rebellion, and it sets the film’s central dynamic in motion.
Ian is a menacing presence. He is cruel to Stevie, dismissive of his feelings, and capable of violence. Katherine Waterston plays Dabney with a weary patience that suggests she has given up on fixing her family. She forbids Stevie from hanging out with the boys after he comes home drunk and fights with Ian, but Stevie refuses to obey.
The film’s tagline, “fall. get back up,” is a literal description of Stevie’s arc. He falls off his board, he falls in with the wrong crowd, and he falls into self-harm. Each fall is a step toward becoming someone he does not recognize.
The Skate Shop Crew
The crew at Motor Avenue Skateshop is a ragtag group of older kids who are the opposite of Stevie’s family. Ray is the charismatic leader, loudmouth Fuckshit is the comic relief, and quiet Fourth Grade is the outsider. Ruben introduces Stevie to the group and becomes his first friend there.
Stevie is nicknamed “Sunburn” by Ray, and the nickname sticks. It is a name that means nothing and everything, a label that separates him from the world he came from. His acceptance into the group causes Ruben to resent him. Stevie is drawn to the group’s daredevil behavior and anti-social attitudes, even though he is an inexperienced skater.
The Party and Its Aftermath
At a party, Stevie has his first kiss and sexual experience with an older teenage girl named Estee. The encounter is awkward and unremarkable, but it is a turning point. Afterward, he and Ian get into a violent fight. Ian has an emotional breakdown when Stevie says he has no friends, and following the conflict, a distressed Stevie attempts to asphyxiate himself with a cord from a SNES controller, one of several self-harm incidents.
The party scene is the film’s most emotionally charged moment. Stevie is not ready for sex, and the encounter leaves him shaken. He retreats into himself, and the fight with Ian is the culmination of weeks of tension. The self-harm is a desperate attempt to feel something, anything, other than numb.
The Self-Harm Incidents
The film does not shy away from Stevie’s self-harm. He attempts to asphyxiate himself with a cord from a SNES controller, and there are other incidents that are implied but not shown. These moments are handled with a matter-of-factness that makes them more disturbing than a more explicit approach would have been.
The film does not offer answers. It shows the behavior and moves on. This is a strength and a weakness. It is honest about the nature of adolescence, but it leaves the viewer wanting more context.
The 4:3 Aspect Ratio
The film is shot in 4:3 aspect ratio, reminiscent of VHS skate tapes. Super 16mm film stock is used to emulate 1990s skate videos. The aesthetic is consistent, but it is not the reason to watch the film. It is a stylistic choice that supports the story, not a gimmick.
The soundtrack features 1990s hip-hop, punk and alternative rock. The music is a period-appropriate mix that captures the sound of that era. It is not a standout element, but it does not detract either.
The World Premiere and Reception
Mid90s had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2018. It was released theatrically in the United States on October 19, 2018, by A24. The film grossed $9.3 million on a budget of $1.7 million.
The film was well received by critics. It was called a “promising first outing for Hill,” and praised for its sense of nostalgia. The reception was positive, but it was not a breakout hit.
Ray’s Confrontation
Before the film’s final stretch, it cuts to Stevie sitting alone behind the skate shop. Ray consoles him, telling him that even though he thinks his life is bad, the other boys have it worse. Fourth Grade is extremely poor. Stevie has alienated his family, and he is left with nothing but the boys.
The film’s final image is of Stevie alone, watching the boys from a distance. It is a fitting conclusion to a story about loneliness and the ways we try to escape it.
The Verdict
Mid90s is a thoughtful, if slight, coming-of-age story. It is anchored by a strong lead performance from Sunny Suljic and a solid supporting cast. The direction is confident, and the film’s handling of its subject matter is honest. It is not a great film, but it is a promising one.
The film’s weaknesses are structural. The middle section drags, and some plot threads are underdeveloped. The romance with Estee is not fully explored, and the self-harm is handled with too much distance. These are not fatal flaws, but they keep the film from reaching its full potential.
| Element | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Lead performance | Suljic’s portrayal of Stevie is nuanced and compelling | None notable |
| Direction | Confident and assured | Middle section drags |
| Nostalgia | Authentic recreation of 1990s skate culture | Some threads underdeveloped |
| Soundtrack | Period-appropriate mix of hip-hop, punk and rock | Not a standout element |
The film’s best scenes are its quiet ones. Stevie riding his board alone, Stevie watching the boys from afar, Stevie listening to his mother. These moments are the heart of the film, and they are why it succeeds despite its flaws.
Mid90s is a film about the cost of belonging. Stevie pays a high price for the acceptance he craves, and the film does not flinch from showing the damage. It is a film about a boy who wants to be seen, and about the ways we hide ourselves to survive.
The film’s tagline, “fall. get back up,” is a promise that the film does not fully deliver on. Stevie falls, but he does not always get back up. That ambiguity is the film’s strength. It refuses to offer a clean ending, and it leaves the viewer thinking about Stevie long after the credits roll.
Mid90s is a solid entry in Hill’s directorial career. It is a film that shows promise, but it is not a masterpiece. It is a film that deserves attention, but it is not a film that demands it.
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