What's up with "Wassup Rockers"
Posted at 4:00 PM on July 21, 2006
by Euan Kerr
(5 Comments)
Typically I am resistant to learning a great deal about a movie before I see it. But I must admit I was greatly confused by Larry Clark's "Wassup Rockers."
It's the story of a group of mainly Salvadorian skateboarders roaming around LA. As with Clarks biggest hit "Kids," it looks like a documentary at first, but as time passes it's increasingly clear this is a drama.
Then I heard Andrea Shea's story on All Things Considered, which says it's both, and perhaps a little more.
There is documentary film in the piece, but much of the film is a drama based on the real-life experiences of the skaters. The last part of the film, when the kids decide to visit Beverly Hills, and run into a boatload of trouble, ranging from a racist cop to homicidal homeowners, seems to be primarily fantasy.
The resulting film suffers as it lurches along trying to decide what it's doing. There are frustrating loose ends flopping all over the place too. Several people apparently meet with dramatic ends in "Wassup" but the story just leaves them behind. This could be seen as a comment on the adolescent mindset, but when combined with the lengthy periods where the youngsters are just hanging out, the whole piece loses its cohesion.
Comments (5)
I thought the movie was excellent. You should think of "Wassup Rockers" as similar to an episode of "The Monkeys". Don't waste any brain cells wondering if the story is literally true. I felt it was equal parts music video, political statement, and humor.
this movie was so cool dude i cant even say how cool it is
hey guys the movie was to cool have see them yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!! and cool skate nice bunnys hehe
hey i like u r movie u
should do 2 part
man dis moovie was the bom super funny i loved it♥
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