In Skateland, it’s the early 1980s and Ritchie (Shiloh Fernandez, Red Riding Hood (check out review here)), a 19-year-old kid, unsure of what he’s going to do with his life, is a writer and a manager at the local skating rink in a small town in Texas. He’s a good kid that doesn’t get into trouble, little kids look up to him and he has lots of friends. This is… (wait for it) the summer that changes his life.
Anthony Burns directs his first feature which he co-wrote with brothers Heath Freeman and Brandon Freeman. I was amazed at the unbelievably natural dialogue. It wasn’t quick-witted and quirky; it was just people. It was awkward; it was silly; it was seemingly insignificant. These were conversations I remember having and had forgotten about. One of my favorite moments was in the parking lot of the Dairy Queen after a party. This is what you do in a small town.
Sure, the story has its predictabilities, but what separates it, is how the characters deal with those situations and the strength of their performances. Brent Cullen is so fragile as the father struggling to keep his family together. Heath Freeman, in his first feature after a decade of TV roles, really shines as Brent Burkham. The positive mindset of all the characters is something not shown enough on-screen and it was very refreshing. No matter what is happening, these guys kept a good outlook and leaning on each other.
Ritchie Wheeler in Skateland (rink)
I loved how the camera moved and the tracking in almost every shot. With Ritchie specifically, most were medium tracking shots and combined with his performance, it felt like I was experiencing it at the same time as him.
Although the relationship Ritchie has to Michelle (Ashley Greene, Twilight) is significant, the real story is with Ritchie’s relationships with his friends. There is nothing fake or glossed over. They talk about stupid stuff, but also connect with each other on another level. The characters have known each other for years and the actors are able to capture that on screen with ease.
Brent Cullen
The only issue I had was with the ending. I won’t go into it, but I really wanted Ritchie to grow more as a character. Also, Shiloh Fernandez has a weird smile thing going on, not unlike Corey Haim’s. He needs to dial it down a bit or make it his signature.
Rating: Thoroughly enjoyable. 8/10
Check out a roundtable interview with Ashley Greene later this week.
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