mid90s (2018): review

Nostalgia meets growing up

Jonah Hill's directorial debut mid90s takes us into a world of baggy jeans, VHS tapes and the raw energy of skateboarding. Beyond the period details, it explores the difficulties of growing up in a way that feels both intimate and universal.

Freedom and belonging

Sunny Suljic plays Stevie, a 13-year-old in Los Angeles searching for an identity. At home, he faces an overwhelmed mother, played by Katherine Waterston, and a violent older brother, Ian, played by Lucas Hedges. Stevie finds refuge with older skateboarders Ray, Fuckshit, Fourth Grade and Ruben. They introduce him to adventure and friendship, but also to danger. Cigarettes, drinking and risky tricks become part of a search for acceptance.

A convincing world

Hill has an impressive eye for detail and atmosphere. The film's 16 mm photography and 4:3 frame give it an intimate, almost documentary quality. Grain and the restricted frame feel connected to a child's experience of the 1990s. The nostalgia is strong without simply turning sentimental.

Christopher Blauvelt's cinematography deserves particular credit. It captures both the movement of skating and the quieter, more reflective moments. When Stevie moves through the streets, the camera makes his new sense of freedom tangible.

Music is another strength. The soundtrack's alternative rock and hip-hop draw us into the period, but also follow Stevie's emotional development. The songs feel like part of the world and its characters rather than a collection of nostalgic references.

People who feel real

The cast's performances are consistently convincing. Suljic catches Stevie's movement between insecurity and a rebellious desire to act. Na-Kel Smith is impressive as Ray, who becomes a mentor and something like a father figure within the group. Their chemistry feels so natural that it is easy to forget we are watching performances. Hedges gives Ian an intense, uncomfortable presence.

The film is more than a tribute to a decade. It is about belonging, friendship and the painful lessons that accompany growing up. Hill does not soften the violence, self-doubt or constant need for approval in Stevie's experience. That directness is what makes it honest and moving.

Where it falls short

The episodic story occasionally loses its through line. Nostalgia sometimes receives more attention than deeper character development, and supporting figures such as Stevie's mother could have used more room. Those limitations prevent the film from being entirely satisfying.

Verdict

Even with its weaknesses, mid90s is an impressive debut, distinguished by authenticity and emotional depth. It is both a lovingly observed portrait of an era and a powerful coming-of-age story. Its impact reaches beyond viewers who lived through the 1990s. For anyone drawn to honest stories about growing up, it is very much worth seeing.