mid90s

Jonah Hill's directorial debut follows 13-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic) as he escapes a difficult home life to find acceptance within a gang of skaters. Opening with an unsettling fight between Stevie and his bullying older brother (Lucas Hedges), the film offers an unsentimental look at adolescence. While the points made are a little obvious at times, Hill's exploration of the insecurity of young manhood is raw and compelling. He quietly observes his characters without judging them, inviting us to come to our own (sometimes painful) conclusions. The younger members of the cast deliver natural, unshowy performances, while Katherine Waterston elicits more sympathy than criticism as Stevie's overwrought mother. With its short running time, mid90s feels more rushed than it should, but it also packs an emotional punch, telling a coming-of-age story that feels honest and authentic.