Skateland (2011)

40% of critics liked it
(25 reviews)
38% of users liked it
(7,025 ratings)

Skateland,set against the landscape of upstart malls, Jordache jeans and iconic hang outs,is as much a story about embracing who you are as it is about moving on. The personal drama marks the poignant transition of a group of high school friends into adulthood. Set in the early 1980s, in small town… More Skateland,set against the landscape of upstart malls, Jordache jeans and iconic hang outs,is as much a story about embracing who you are as it is about moving on. The personal drama marks the poignant transition of a group of high school friends into adulthood. Set in the early 1980s, in small town Texas, it is genuine, touching and candid snapshot of the lives of a close-knit group of friends who are confronted with the realities of the precarious world around them. The film revolves around a charismatic young skating rink manager named Ritchie Wheeler (Shiloh Fernandez), brother and sister Brent and Michelle Burkham (Heath Freeman, Ashley Greene) and the legendary, wise-cracking, Kenny Crawford (Taylor Handley) as their dreams and carefree lives start to fade into an uncertain future. -- (C) Freestyle Releasing

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Anthony Burns
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: May 13, 2011 Limited
On DVD: Aug 30, 2011
Studio: Freestyle Releasing

Critic Reviews

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
A film with some engaging performances and a swell soundtrack whose biggest problem is that it wants to be "Dazed and Confused" when it grows up.
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle
Like so many other films set in the Reagan era, Anthony Burns' directorial debut fails to acknowledge the lingering and pervasive angst that shaped anyone growing up in the late Cold War.
Lou Lumenick, New York Post
Indifferently acted, written and directed, the oft soporific "Skateland" is beautifully photographed and boasts a greatest-hits soundtrack, as well as some spot-on art direction.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Though noticeably lacking in originality, Anthony Burns' low-key directorial debut skates by on the charms of its hazy wistfulness and a likable cast.
Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times
Anthony Burns's sweetly nostalgic re-creation of small-town Texas in the early 1980s.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
Manages to offer a particularly affecting, well-observed portrait of young people coming of age in an east Texas town in the 1980s.
Eric Melin, Scene-Stealers.com
It treads well-worn territory. Shiloh Fernandez is pretty inert in the lead role and Ashley Greene doesn't have that much to do.
Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly
Burns rebuilds the vibe a bit toward the end, but by that time the clumsy drama has overshadowed the mellow atmosphere. It's a total bummer.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media
The movie tries to capture the mood of a time and place, but instead the scenes feel arbitrary and sometimes even pointless.
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
Buoyed by Fernandez's nicely shaded turn...but ultimately it coasts along according to such predictable beats that it seems prefabricated.
Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
Skateland is dedicated to the late teen film icon John Hughes. I think he'd pretty proud.
Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, Ebert Presents At The Movies
You get no real sense of this place.
Pete Hammond, Back Stage
The performances in Skateland will serve as early evidence of the actors' supreme talent.
David Noh, Film Journal International
The filmmakers seem to want to look back at the 1980s and weep, and you may feel the same way, having wasted your time watching this.
Robert Levin, amNewYork
This is familiar narrative terrain, of course. But it's affectionately re-worked in Burns' atmospheric rendition.
Alison Willmore, AV Club
Anthony Burns' directorial debut is all trappings, with very little there there, giving the mind plenty of time to wander through compare-and-contrast games. Skateland is more soundtrack than substance.
Michelle Orange, Movieline
Burns handles the more dramatic moments - divorce, accidental death, betrayal - with invention, using abrupt cuts and impressionistic editing to keep the film from settling into a rut.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

♥˩ƳИИ &

Cast: Ashley Greene, Shiloh Fernandez, Casey LaBow, James LeGros, Haley Ramm, Brett Cullen, Taylor Handley, A.J. Buckley, D.W. Moffett Director: Anthony Burns Summary: Director Anthony Burns and screenwriter brothers Heath and Brandon Freeman tell the story of 19-year-old… More
Cast: Ashley Greene, Shiloh Fernandez, Casey LaBow, James LeGros, Haley Ramm, Brett Cullen, Taylor Handley, A.J. Buckley, D.W. Moffett Director: Anthony Burns Summary: Director Anthony Burns and screenwriter brothers Heath and Brandon Freeman tell the story of 19-year-old Ritchie Wheeler (Shiloh Fernandez), who finds his life at a crossroads when the Texas roller rink where he works is forced to shut its doors. Set in the early 1980s, this is a coming-of-age tale in which the hapless but hopeful protagonist must contend with his parents' divorce, shifting friendships and making choices on the path to adulthood. My Thoughts: "I actually really enjoyed this movie. It had the essence of one of my favorite films, 'Dazed and Confused'. I especially got that feeling from Taylor Handley who plays Kenny Crawford. He reminded me of a younger version of Matthew McConaughey. The southern drawl and all. I love the setting of the film. I am a big fan of the 80's and it's films. The movie has a great sound track to boot. The acting is also strong. The film really captures life in the 80's. In those year's the popular hangout was a skating rink. But the closing of it isn't really the main focus the summary leads you to believe it is. It mostly stands for an ending for a new beginning for the character Ritchie Wheeler. It's a great small independent film that in the end doesn't really exceed in delivering the depth it probably intended for. I could have also done with more character development. But as it is, I did enjoy it and would watch it again."
Cynthia S

They had me at "Electric Avenue" :).....Wonderful little movie set in an era that I loved. Fantastic ending, ta boot. Kudos!
Manu G

It was a time when life was easy...in a place they thought would never change. Good Film. Not exactly what I expected but didn't fail for me. That was a nice era to live in, I love the music and how people used to have fun in there lives. Nice story about love, endings,… More
It was a time when life was easy...in a place they thought would never change. Good Film. Not exactly what I expected but didn't fail for me. That was a nice era to live in, I love the music and how people used to have fun in there lives. Nice story about love, endings, tragedy, beginnings and everything in between. An iconic tribute to a culture, place and state of mind that defined small town America in the early 80s. It is a universal moment in time, when everything you know to be true starts fading. The story is personal, yet familiar, set against a visually arresting landscape of music and vistas of Americana.
Steven C

There is nothing new in "Skateland"- both in the film and in the characters lives. What I liked most about this sweetly nostalgic film is that it meanders into territory (emotional or physical) that is determined solely by the characters. These are people dealing with ennui… More
There is nothing new in "Skateland"- both in the film and in the characters lives. What I liked most about this sweetly nostalgic film is that it meanders into territory (emotional or physical) that is determined solely by the characters. These are people dealing with ennui and disaffection and co-writer/director Anthony Burns organically incorporates this. Though this can be murder on the films structure, the emotional payoff in the conclusion seems worth it. The performances are a bit rocky because the films tone can be bipolar, which seems to throw the actors off. But Shiloh Fernandez and Ashley Greene form a chemistry that seems real and honest. Fernandez is interesting because he plays Ritchie like an honest, truthful young man. I liked seeing Ritchie actually striving for family connection; it's an interesting change for the presented themes. "Skateland" will certainly draw comparisons to "Dazed and Confused" and "Adventureland" (with a dash of "Somewhere" thrown in) but don't write it off completely because there are some really great individual parts to this film- they just unfortunately don't congeal like they should.
Mark A

A great little film, starring a bunch of actors this viewer didn't recognize, set in a small East Texas town in the 80's. A young man with little ambition deals with several life traumas and is forced to decide what he really wants from life. The first two-thirds of the film… More
A great little film, starring a bunch of actors this viewer didn't recognize, set in a small East Texas town in the 80's. A young man with little ambition deals with several life traumas and is forced to decide what he really wants from life. The first two-thirds of the film drifts about rather aimlessly, but serves to set up the much more intense third act. A lot of tender moments, some interesting editing choices and a very natural sounding script, born out of some improvisation, combined to make this quite watchable. Of particular interest was Ashley Greene, as Michelle, the best friend's sister and gal pal to the main character, Ritchie (Shiloh Fernandez). A rather pleasant way to spend a little over an hour and a half.
Jason R

The film moves at an odd pace but the content more then makes up for any issues with the movies timing. Very emotional and John Hughes-like take on a group of friends who are facing some major life changes during a crazy Summer in 1980's Texas. You'll either get the movie… More
The film moves at an odd pace but the content more then makes up for any issues with the movies timing. Very emotional and John Hughes-like take on a group of friends who are facing some major life changes during a crazy Summer in 1980's Texas. You'll either get the movie or you won't get the movie. But I will say that it captures the craziness and reality of what it is like for kids who are about to graduate High School or are unsure of the future, and in that aspect this movie is really good.