North Hollywood arrives with the tagline: The first ever movie about becoming a pro skater. Mikey Alfred’s distinctively captivating coming-of-age drama (with strong comedic leanings) is clearly set in the present day, something the first time director's seamless flair for blurring decades steadfastly refuses to acknowledge. The fashions scream, “Where were you in ‘62?” And are there still homes in North Hollywood in which the main form of communication with the outside world is via landline? Even the location work is a blast from the past. Rather than showing off NoHo’s spruced up art district, Alfed instead pays visits to such venerable neighborhood staples as Circus Liquors and Burbank’s Bob’s Big Boy. Perhaps the greatest example of his desire to imbue a touch of timelessness is through his unique choice of preexisting songs that embody his soundtrack. If the goal was to construct an American Graffiti (with a dash of Heaven Help Us) for his generation, Alfred did one hell of a job curating the incidental music. The film glides along at its own pace. The boldness comes from Alfred’s skill at cherry-picking life’s telling moments, stripping away the boring parts, and creating characters and situations humbly drawn from life. The highly appealing cast features Ryder McLaughlin (a blonde Buscemi), Miranda Cosgrove, Nico Hiraga, Aramis Hudson, and in a welcome return to form, Vince Vaughn hilarious as the father of the year. (2021) — Scott Marks
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