Grind (2003)

Critic Reviews

• J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

  Suitable entertainment for boys too young to shave.

• Daphne Gordon, Toronto Star

  Brody and Vogel anchor the cast, portraying likeable, charismatic dudes with a friendship that is genuine and enduring in spite of their differences.

• Bob Campbell, Newark Star-Ledger

  Among those rare films that starts at the bottom and burrows downward.

• John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press

  The worst movie of the summer.

• Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter

  Without the charm or irrepressible imagination of the Farrellys or 'American Pie' writer Adam Herz, the filmmakers succeeds only in making their protagonists look like jerks, who well deserve the misfortunes that befall them right up to a happy fadeout.

• Ed Halter, Village Voice

  A logo-laden celebration of the joys of sponsorship wrapped inside an innocuous teen-pic package.

• Nell Minow, Common Sense Media

  Pretty much a complete waste of time.

• Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

  If you love skateboarding, feel free to rent Grind, hit the mute button and fast forward through anything that doesn't involve a half-pipe.

• Daniel M. Kimmel, Worcester Telegram & Gazette

  It's the sort of movie that makes American Wedding look... subtle by comparison. [T]his summer's notorious bomb Gigli is starting to look better and better.

• Tyler Hanley, Palo Alto Weekly

  First-time director Casey La Scala may have taken his fledgling film's title too literally, grinding together borrowed ingredients like a mischievous chef.

• Michael Drakulich, Star Newspapers (Chicago, IL)

  Brings Out The Worst Of A Fringe Sport That Fights For Mainstream Acceptance...this Film Fails So Completely In Almost Every Aspect.

• Elias Savada, Nitrate Online

  Director La Scala can't direct his way out of this can of half-baked beans.

• Doris Toumarkine, Film Journal International

  You've seen and heard it before, dude.

• Dan Lybarger, Kansas City Star

  Viewing the earthbound sequences in "Grind" is like watching the dialogue portions of pornos. Pity the viewers who catch this one without the benefit of a fast-forward or chapter select button.

• Brian Orndorf, Modamag.com

  Striving for street cred, I'm positive even skaters will turn their noses up at this.

• David Keyes, Cinemaphile.org

  They say it takes a certain knowledge of a subject to truly empathize a movie based on it, but I'm guessing it will take more than that to show any sort of genuine interest in a movie like Grind.

Read all 16 critic reviews