Gritty film 'Dogtown' goes beyond expectations

By Jack Garner
Gannett News Service

LORDS OF DOGTOWN (PG-13) Three Stars (Good) "Lords of Dogtown" is a slightly fictionalized variation of the highly praised documentary, "Dogtown and the Z-Boys," about the first generation of Southern California skateboarders in the early '70s. Catherine Hardwicke directs. TriStar, 107 minutes.

"Lords of Dogtown" is a slightly fictionalized variation of the highly praised documentary, "Dogtown and the Z-Boys," about the first generation of Southern California skateboarders in the early '70s, the gang largely responsible for much of today's extreme sports events.

The creator of the documentary — filmmaker Stacy Peralta — wrote the screenplay for the newer film, and it's directed by Catherine Hardwicke, who previously created the uncompromising teen drama, "Thirteen." Here she eschews the normal sunny Southern California cliches and presents "Lords" darkly, with much of the drama played out at night or in shadows. The boys are mostly depicted as troubled, semi-abandoned youngsters for whom their sport becomes a form of salvation.

Leading them is a veteran surf bum, a ne'er-do-well named Skip, played so convincingly by Australian actor Heath Ledger that it took half the movie before we realized it wasn't Val Kilmer.

The younger actors also skillfully create distinctive, affecting characters with elements that humanize them well beyond surf or skateboard stereotypes. Most notable are John Robinson as the fair-haired and seemingly blessed Stacy, Victor Rasuk as the imaginative Tony Alva, and especially Emile Hirsch as Jay, perhaps the most talented of them all, but also the most tragically flawed.

Rated PG-13 for profanity, sexuality, violence, drug use, and reckless behavior.