Paranoid Park (2007)
-
77% of critics liked it
(115 reviews) -
65% of users liked it
(20,646 ratings)
A teenage skateboarder has a run-in with a security guard that results in the man's death. Confused, fearful, and evasive, the teen wanders the streets of Portland as his life takes a turn for the worse in director Gus Van Sant's screen adaptation of author Blake Nelson's grim coming-of-age tome.… More A teenage skateboarder has a run-in with a security guard that results in the man's death. Confused, fearful, and evasive, the teen wanders the streets of Portland as his life takes a turn for the worse in director Gus Van Sant's screen adaptation of author Blake Nelson's grim coming-of-age tome. Alex (Gabe Nevins) is a withdrawn 16-year-old boy who has recently discovered Paranoid Park -- a massive skate park in Portland, OR. The Portland skate punks built Paranoid Park so they could have a place to cruise the concrete without being hassled by the cops. One day, after befriending a local skater and anarchist at the park, Alex decides that a little adventure might be just the thing to help him forget about his problems back home. When Alex and his new friend attempt to hop a train and a security guard gives chase, tragedy strikes so quickly that the two teens are barely able to comprehend what has just happened. In the aftermath of the fatal accident, one man is robbed of life and two teens are left to ponder the consequences of their youthful recklessness. Alex doesn't think that anyone will believe him if he explains how events really unfolded that night, but why would anyone have cause to think he wasn't telling the truth in the first place? As the police launch an investigation into the death and Alex begins to express himself in a deeply personal diary, the audience is able to experience the pain and confusion of adolescence from the perspective of a young boy who was only seeking to escape from reality when suddenly confronted by the concept of mortality. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Rating, Runtime
- R, 1 hr. 24 min.
- Directed By
- Gus Van Sant
- Written By
- Gus Van Sant
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
- In Theaters
- May 21, 2007 Wide
- On DVD
- Oct 7, 2008
- Studio
- IFC First Take
Critic Reviews
-
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
[An] intriguing, mind-altering skateboard elegy.
-
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle
Regarding Paranoid Park as an elongated short rather than a feature helps a bit, because it's a miniature in spirit -- a small-format portrait of psychic malaise that just happens to last 84 minutes.
-
Tom Long, Detroit News
Paranoid Park becomes a portrait of the skate punk as repressed personality. The movie doesn't really go anywhere as a story, it simply unfolds.
-
Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer
Intriguing and obliquely involving.
-
Peter Schilling, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Alex goes to school, has a girlfriend, eats junk food ... and is almost as much of a zombie as anything George A. Romero has ever conjured up. Only less appealing.
-
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Elephant said much more about teenagers and said it better.
-
Jeffrey Chen, ReelTalk Movie Reviews
In Paranoid Park, not much actually happens and yet one teenager's mind is filled with far more than enough to ponder for a long time.
-
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
The teenager's impressionistic headspace is his canvas, layered like a Keats poem and scored like an iPod
-
Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
It's breathtaking, heartbreaking, tragic, gorgeous, and true all at the same time.
-
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
This less-than-involving, skateboarding-culture thriller is still not likely to go over well with any audiences outside of the already receptive, art-house crowd.
-
Jonathan Kiefer, Sacramento News & Review
It's a movie worth seeing.
-
Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media
Poetic, disturbing story of lonely teen skater.
-
Austin Kennedy, Sin Magazine
I would say that there is a really good 50 minute movie tucked away inside here, but Van Sant insists on padding it with material that doesn't belong.
-
Rossiter Drake, San Francisco Examiner
In a film where dialogue comes at a premium, Van Sant allows his camera to do the talking, and when it rests too long on one subject, the commentary feels like overstatement. Elsewhere, 'Paranoid Park' is eloquent in its terseness.
-
Jason Anderson, CBC.ca Arts
Paranoid Park proves that growing up is often very hard to do -- but it's also a potent reminder that these teens deserve our respect and sympathy for their often imperfect efforts to do just that.
-
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
I don't know what's more surprising: that director Gus Van Sant has made yet another movie about the lives of disaffected Portland teenagers, or that he's pulled it off one more time with "Paranoid Park."
-
Alonso Duralde, MSNBC
Van Sant's ... adoration of uncommunicative kids with limited vocabularies and awesome hair is beginning to wear a little thin.
Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
-
Dan S
A slow-burn exercise in guilt and the always troubled teenage lifestyle, especially one 16-year old (Gabe Nevins) who gets himself involved in a case concerning a dead security guard after it appears he may have been at the scene of the crime. The art of skateboarding has never been… More
A slow-burn exercise in guilt and the always troubled teenage lifestyle, especially one 16-year old (Gabe Nevins) who gets himself involved in a case concerning a dead security guard after it appears he may have been at the scene of the crime. The art of skateboarding has never been viewed through more adoring lenses than by director Gus Van Sant here, as he never misses an opportunity to use slow-motion shots to capture the beauty some particular skaters possess when it comes to their sport. However, sometimes he comes close to Zach Snyder super-duper slow-motion territory, in which it threatens to overpower the rest of his movie. However, Van Sant is a more skilled and polished auteur than Snyder will ever be, and as a result 'Park' works in a quiet, haunting way as it effectively captures what this particular character is going through. The film could be a little longer and some supporting characters could have used a little more meat, but that still does not take away from the almost inexplicably riveting tale Van Sant puts on screen here, despite the film possessing a lot of dead air and looks of detachment from its lead star. -
Melvin W
I must admit the first time I watched Paranoid Park about a year ago I hated absolutely everything about it. From the long, slow motioned skating scenes to the acting( which I now see is actually very good because of how realistic it is). However, after watching it a second time, I… More
I must admit the first time I watched Paranoid Park about a year ago I hated absolutely everything about it. From the long, slow motioned skating scenes to the acting( which I now see is actually very good because of how realistic it is). However, after watching it a second time, I think the film is brilliant. Although I still believe the some of the slow motion scenes could be taken out of cut. Like I said before, the acting is very realistic and I think that can turn a lot of people off. It seems, to some, that the actors are doing a horrible job because of just how realistic their performances are. Gabe Nevins is spectacular in the lead role as Alex. Alex is a 16 year old skater who is a self conscious and quiet person. The movie revolves around him and him only. He spends time with a couple of friends Jared(Jake Miller) and Macy(Lauren McKinney). He also has a girlfriend Jennifer(Taylor Momsen). The way Nevins carries himself in this role is great. He's like a lot of kids, when he's around others he's very uptight. He answers questions with few words and doesn't show any emotion. But when alone he changes. I love the car scene where a rap song is playing and he is moving to the music. If someone else was in the car, there is no way he'd do that. He tells us his story through a writing of a letter. I'm not going to say what the letter is about or who it is to. Alex is a deeper than normal teenager and we see that through his relationships. His best friend Jared is the typical teenager. All he cares about is having a good time and trying to get laid. Alex's girlfriend is pretty but that doesn't seem to matter to Alex. She wants to have sex, but he seems to just go along for the ride. The most important relationship is Macy though. This is someone who Alex actually connects with and likes, but she isn't pretty, so he, in my opinion has to hide his true feelings about her. Ultimately Paranoid Park is a great character study that was brilliantly directed by Gus Van Sant and acted by Gabe Nevins. If you don't like it the first time; do yourself a favor and give it another chance. -
El Hombre I
Van Sant's been edging toward abstraction over the past decade, and while he has many detractors, who see nothing more than hampered Euro art-film aesthetics, there's been no denying that he's carved out a singular niche for himself in American cinema, making films more… More
Van Sant's been edging toward abstraction over the past decade, and while he has many detractors, who see nothing more than hampered Euro art-film aesthetics, there's been no denying that he's carved out a singular niche for himself in American cinema, making films more reliant on the audience's intellectual engagement with tone, mood, and setting than on narrative. Ultimately, the core to Paranoid Park is the moral dilemma Alex finds himself in. He has done something disastrously wrong, and without ever taking sides, Van Sant simply lets us decide for ourselves what will become of him. Not a terribly great film, but cinematographer Christopher Doyle's work here is super. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view&current=paranoid_park_still_2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/paranoid_park_still_2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a> -
Lady D
As with many of Gus Van Sant?s work, I don?t know whether this borders on slight genius or boring drawn out film making,, either way it does make you consider the possibilities. On the up side of things the acting for such youngs guys is totally natural and really impressive,,… More
As with many of Gus Van Sant?s work, I don?t know whether this borders on slight genius or boring drawn out film making,, either way it does make you consider the possibilities. On the up side of things the acting for such youngs guys is totally natural and really impressive,, intense throughout, the storyline interesting with a very realistic feel, the downside to that of course is that it is very drawn out and like most realistic things, it has an unusual ending. -
Conner R
I think with this and a lot of Gus Van Sant's other latest movies, you either love it or you hate it. I happened to really love it and thought it was a great way to tell a story. Instead of adding needless dialogue and subplots, the movie tells exactly what was necessary to tells… More
I think with this and a lot of Gus Van Sant's other latest movies, you either love it or you hate it. I happened to really love it and thought it was a great way to tell a story. Instead of adding needless dialogue and subplots, the movie tells exactly what was necessary to tells Alex's story. I also think the acting was great, maybe because it was so believable. Alex walks, talks and responds like a 16 year old skater. -
Jani H
'Paranoid Park' is another minimalistic film, with mostly amateus actors, from the critically acclaimed director Gus Van Sant. With a filmography consisting such films as 'Good Will Hunting', which is absolutely one of my favourites, and 'Drugstore… More
'Paranoid Park' is another minimalistic film, with mostly amateus actors, from the critically acclaimed director Gus Van Sant. With a filmography consisting such films as 'Good Will Hunting', which is absolutely one of my favourites, and 'Drugstore Cowboy' and now with his latest work 'Milk', Gus Van Sant has proved us all that he can make movies that will for sure be worth a look. But then again, he has made a remake of 'Psycho' so.... 'Elephant', which he made in 2003, was a succesful film. 'Paranoid Park' resembles it a lot in the way of filmmaking. Amateur actors, authentic look and so on. This film has its positive sides, mainly the cinematography by Christopher Doyle, but when everything else doesn't give you anything particularly special, it can't really be that great. Nothing much really happens here. Skater, high school kids just hanging around at Paranoid Park, watching other skaters do their thing. Then there's of course the everyday problems of dating and losing your virginity and listening to the annoying girlfriend. Oh yeah, and someone gets killed. Although 'Paranoid Park' only lasts for less then 90 minutes, it may at times feel a bit draging and boring. I had troubles to identify myself with the main characters. I'm just a 30 year old man who was born in yokel surroundings. When I see skaters, once again, do their thing, I'm not that interested of it. Even if the acting is solid, which is a great thing considering the amateur cast, when you skip everything else and leave just the murder, this could have worked better as a short film but not as a full length feature. But 'Paranoid Park' is in no way a bad work by Van Sant. I just don't see it as that special. -
Drew S
A stirring, subtle, visually remarkable piece by Gus Van Sant. If you saw flaws in Elephant, this rectifies them and expands on its companion piece's richness. Though the awful acting still remains, the situations Van Sant creates house them well - these kids aren't… More
A stirring, subtle, visually remarkable piece by Gus Van Sant. If you saw flaws in Elephant, this rectifies them and expands on its companion piece's richness. Though the awful acting still remains, the situations Van Sant creates house them well - these kids aren't navigating particularly challenging or out-there roles, but instead are living the lives of a few ordinary teenagers who are in or around trouble. The awkwardness and lack of grandstanding (or presence of grandstanding, where appropriate) are a perfect fit for the teen experience. The only one who doesn't fit here is Taylor Momsen, who just feels far too accustomed to acting and movies and all that glossy desouled business. Gabe Nevins works as a good, solid blank slate, a perfect fit for a protagonist who isn't particularly bright or charismatic. He is stentorian and hard to read, almost enigmatic. I was surprised to see that Christopher Doyle filmed this movie, but upon actually watching it, the work is clearly his. Colorful and sharply framed, he always knows what to keep in the viewer's sight and what to keep away from them. Paranoid Park, against all odds, is bizarrely suspenseful for an otherwise quiet movie. The viewer knows within the first ten minutes that Alex killed the security guard, but it doesn't make the buildup to the act any less horrifying. Watching the event unfurl, by the way, is one of the most powerful scenes of 2008; the less you know about it, the better. Paranoid Park does ramble a little bit, and it feels as if Van Sant filmed 50 minutes of film and then just edited it all together really fancily to add another half hour. Even so, at 80 minutes, it's far more trim and meaningful than most of what you're likely to see. -
Nicki M
Liked this one a lot. Beautifully filmed and acted, especially considering the cast are unknowns - they were all really good. I couldn't actually believe the bad reviews this one got. My only, (small), gripe would be that it could have been a little longer and a little less… More
Liked this one a lot. Beautifully filmed and acted, especially considering the cast are unknowns - they were all really good. I couldn't actually believe the bad reviews this one got. My only, (small), gripe would be that it could have been a little longer and a little less abrupt at the end, but with this type of movie, it is like life and shouldn't really expect all to tie up neatly at the end! -
Nani V
My kind of interesting film. A bit slow, but, still good. -
Christopher M
Like his contemporary Larry Clark, Gus Van Sant is very good at capturing a certain slice of humanity, a certain generation or age-group or community, down to a tee. This is what he does in Paranoid Park, which is the story of a young skater from Portland who accidentally causes the… More
Like his contemporary Larry Clark, Gus Van Sant is very good at capturing a certain slice of humanity, a certain generation or age-group or community, down to a tee. This is what he does in Paranoid Park, which is the story of a young skater from Portland who accidentally causes the death of a security guard at a train station and must deal with the moral consequences. The plot is really paper-thin because it doesn't go much beyond this single cause-and-effect, but what the film does is entrench the audience in the mind of Alex (played by Gabe Nevins, an amateur actor, like the rest of the cast). One thing I can say definitively is that Paranoid Park is extremely well shot. The cinematography work by Christopher Doyle (long-time collaborator with Kar Wai Wong, whose films always look amazing) is fabulous. Van Sant presents the film also in a variety of medium and plays around with the score and the background sound that it really does make one sit back and think when watching the film, in this way it's somewhat Brechtian but still able to be appreciated at face value because of the interesting main character and story. The film seems to be mainly be about communication, or lack thereof. But therein lies the only significant issue with the film, which is that Van Sant didn't fully communicate through the film what he obviously intended to, or at least not as concisely as he could of. There are skateboarding sequences shot in a fuzzy tone sprinkled throughout the film, sort of like Alex's daydream. It is clear that these are intended to represent the escapism of skateboarding, how it acts almost like a drug for Alex and his friends. And it makes us wonder whether the skateboarding is only there for him to have something there in his life, since he seems so detached from everything else. So, these sequences eventually get across what they mean to but they also become redundant and by the 3rd or 4th one one wonders whether they needed to be there at all. Like his film Elephant, Paranoid Park beautifully captures a section of American youth-culture and tells a compelling character story while doing so. Because of this, the great look of the film, and its good soundtrack (I dug the inclusion of a couple Elliott Smith tunes a lot), it's worth checking out. -
Gordon A
Slight step down from the majesty of 'Elephant' as it tries to mix in a more mainstream 'who done it' plot. Some classic scenes are balanced by some patchy acting. Van Sant is still the master at capturing the otherworldly dream state of confusion in adolescence. -
Walter M
"Paranoid Park" is a moody and engaging film that follows Alex(Gabe Nevins), a high school skateboarder, as he tries to put the pieces of his life together during his parents'(Grace Carter & Jay Williamson) divorce, as he tunes them out. Telling his own story,… More
"Paranoid Park" is a moody and engaging film that follows Alex(Gabe Nevins), a high school skateboarder, as he tries to put the pieces of his life together during his parents'(Grace Carter & Jay Williamson) divorce, as he tunes them out. Telling his own story, he claims he would not be any good at creative writing but his nonsequential writing shows a possible aptitude at independent filmmaking. Everything comes back to the death of a security guard(John Michael Burrowes) that is being investigated by Detective Lu(Daniel Liu). He is talking to all of the local skateboarders due to the incident happening near Paranoid Park, a local skateboard park. Alex goes there with his friend Jared(Jake Miller) to feel grown-up and experience some of the freedoms that go along with being an adult, even as he may not have entirely grasped the responsibilities part of the equation. As close as he is to adulthood, Alex is not sure what kind of person he wants to become. Should he be the kind of person other people want him to be, stay in the safety of the surburbs with his cheerleader girlfriend Jennifer(Taylor Momsen) or hang out with his friends and venture to the other side of the river where there is possible danger? -
Brandon S
At first glance Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park may seem like a somewhat unconventional take on the classic murder mystery. Perhaps a teenage noir reminiscent of Rian Johnson's Brick. What is then so surprising is how disinterested Van Sant is in with any genre conventions.… More
At first glance Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park may seem like a somewhat unconventional take on the classic murder mystery. Perhaps a teenage noir reminiscent of Rian Johnson's Brick. What is then so surprising is how disinterested Van Sant is in with any genre conventions. Rather than unravel a mystery he examines a young soul. Based upon Blake Nelson's novel of the same name, it follows skater boy Alex as he finds himself among a group of young boarders suspected of murder. Despite it's subject matter, it isn't so concerned with the whodunit as why and how. The pieces to the puzzle are layed out in the earliest scenes of the film, but it's only till later that we realize what he have. The film circles around in a non-linear fashion slowly putting the pieces in their proper place. Because the answers are given so early in the film, this gives us time to truthfully examine the life of a teenage boy. The film is much more concerned with the relationship with his girlfriend, with his parents and how he deals with a broken home. Taken with it's mish-mash of visual and musical styles, Van Sant creates a beautiful and unnerving coming of age story. It just so happens that it also includes death by skateboard. . -
Stephen E
Like Gus Van Sant's earlier artistic effort Elephant, Paranoid Park also stars a long-haired high-schooler that views the world a little bit differently than the Average Joe. Unlike his skateboarder companions, he has emotional depth and gives thought to things most kids his age… More
Like Gus Van Sant's earlier artistic effort Elephant, Paranoid Park also stars a long-haired high-schooler that views the world a little bit differently than the Average Joe. Unlike his skateboarder companions, he has emotional depth and gives thought to things most kids his age wouldn't. But none of that detracts from the inventiveness that is Paranoid Park; it only adds. Granted, if you were to take all of the unnecessary scenes out, you'd be left with a good 45 minutes of actual movie. Most of what you see in Paranoid Park are extended shots of people walking and old stock footage of skateboarders. It does a lot of the same things that Elephant does. Now, a lot of people hate this about Van Sant (I know a guy who claims that Gerry is the worst movie ever created). But to tell you the truth, I don't. That's not saying that I enjoy it and absolutely love it; I just don't mind it. If you asked me what I think, I'd just say that Van Sant likes the world we live in. He likes paying close attention to detail. It fascinates him. Problem is that it doesn't exactly fascinate everybody else. But it fascinates me, sort of. When the camera tracks young Alex from behind for a good deal of time as he walks forth, it gives me time to soak the entire image in. It's not a cut every second. I actually get to think about what I'm seeing. And because of this, the movie feels thirty minutes longer than it is, and that kills some people. Now, the story isn't really anything special. Alex, a teenager, spends the entire film feeling guilty over accidentally killing a security guard. That's pretty much it. Most of everything else involves him living his life. I didn't have a problem with any of that. The ending was obscure and abrupt, and all questions went unanswered, but, you know, it's fine. So, am I recommending Paranoid Park? On a strong note, no. But if you liked Elephant, chances are you'll this film. It's nothing special, but far from ordinary. -
Daniel D
Paranoid park is a decent independent film. It was boring but beautifully coordinated. I really like how it didn't go from start to end or else it would've been a complete wreck. It had good acting for an indie film but the plot was not anything new or unique. I… More
Paranoid park is a decent independent film. It was boring but beautifully coordinated. I really like how it didn't go from start to end or else it would've been a complete wreck. It had good acting for an indie film but the plot was not anything new or unique. I wouldn't make time to watch it but if youre in the mood for an indie drama then go for it -
Daniel P
Blake Nelson's novel <i>Paranoid Park</i> is one of the finest American YA novels I have ever read, and so I deliberately waited a long time after reading it before I watched Gus Van Sant's film because a) I didn't want to compare the two too much and have… More
Blake Nelson's novel <i>Paranoid Park</i> is one of the finest American YA novels I have ever read, and so I deliberately waited a long time after reading it before I watched Gus Van Sant's film because a) I didn't want to compare the two too much and have the book still fresh in my memory, and b) because I'm a total chickenshit sometimes and couldn't bear to be disappointed. Shame on me, I should know better. <p>Paranoid Park is a near masterpiece. Dreamily, lyrically filmed, hauntingly composed with beautiful editing and sound-effects editing and an understated, natural and deeply effective performance from Gabe Nevins. The adaptation wisely, nay necessarily, takes apart the chaptered form of the book and puts things out of sequence, styling it in a similar way to <i>Elephant</i>, with occasional replays and rereads of lines and merging of visuals with sounds. There is one especially difficult to watch, incredibly powerful scene that simply involved Alex taking a shower (of course context is everything) that is just as memorable as the life-changing incident on which the film hangs around. Gabe Nevins, as Alex, is deceptively good. Watch the scene near the beginning that just involves him walking out of his class, down the corridor. Without the context something may seem a little odd with the way he turns his head, and seems to examine his surroundings (the lockers, the displays, the students), almost as if he is seeing them for the first time. It's because he thinks this is the end (or the beginning) - perhaps this will be the last time he walks down the corridor, and if not, the last time he will be able to walk down it in the same way; has his awful secret (finally?) been discovered. Another moment involves Alex having sex with his girlfriend for the first time. He is simply broken, a (seemingly) irrevocable change has occurred and now nothing means what it once did. This change permeates throughout the film, all the way through to near the end when advice from another girl may help him at least be able to begin the process of accepting what happened (the ending is less clear cut than that in the book). <p>An important film of great power and artistic merit. -
Stephen E
Sure, the ending is abrupt and obscure, but I like "Paranoid Park". It's original and boldly goes where most films wouldn't. Does Van Sant care if he bores you? Probably not. -
matt s
This movie is amazing. -
t h o m !
Pretty much worthless. Gus Van Sant, how could you?? Maybe it's just me, but just because you make an indie, I don't think it means you HAVE to put in a slow motioned scene of a kid walking in angst to Elliot Smith. To me, that screams indie, but not in the good sense. More… More
Pretty much worthless. Gus Van Sant, how could you?? Maybe it's just me, but just because you make an indie, I don't think it means you HAVE to put in a slow motioned scene of a kid walking in angst to Elliot Smith. To me, that screams indie, but not in the good sense. More of like, what's the word, *Unoriginal*. If I wanted to watch a Wes Anderson movie, I would do so. Brad Peterson, you SUCK as an actor thus far, I hope you grow from this disastrous mistake of a movie. There's nothing to learn from this movie, no plot, no ending, no nothing. Just random shit happens and not in the good Squid and the Whale type of way either. I only complain about a movie like this when I constantly catch myself looking at the run time and pondering over and over when it's going to end. Not many films can do that, you know. I'd give it half a star but at least it wasn't so uber annoying as some movies like Freddie Got Fingered. Stick to Matt Damon, Gus, or work with people that actually have talent. -
Marisol M
A visual elegy on adolescent guilt. This is a slow moving, yet captivating look into a not-so-average turn in an average teen's life.
Cast
-
Gabe Nevinsas Alex -
Taylor Momsenas Jennifer -
Jake Milleras Jared
-
Dan Liuas Det. Richard Lu -
Lauren McKinneyas Macy -
Scott Greenas Scratch

