Marred by a self-importance and heavy-handed assertion of mythic status that some may well find misplaced or just downright ridiculous.
Dogtown and Z-Boys (2002)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:92
Fresh:84
Rotten:8
Average Rating:7.5/10
Consensus: Dogtown and Z-Boys is a colorful, exhilarating look at the skateboarding subculture.
Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins
Genre: Sports/Recreation
Synopsis: In the late 1960s, a group of burnt out teenagers from broken homes ambled together and began to surf along Venice, California's Pacific Ocean Park pier, a ghostly shell of a former amusement park... In the late 1960s, a group of burnt out teenagers from broken homes ambled together and began to surf along Venice, California's Pacific Ocean Park pier, a ghostly shell of a former amusement park nicknamed "Dogtown." United by their attention to style and willingness to take risks, this group of unruly boys were handpicked and nurtured by maverick surfboard designer Jeff Ho, who christened them the Zephyr surf team (or Z-boys). Originally taking up skateboarding as a distraction for the non-surfing hours, the team ended up revolutionizing what was to become an internationally popular sport, using emptied out pools to create a surf-inspired style that was fluid and vertical and ultimately made them legends. In this fine, frenetic documentary, director Stacy Peralta (one of the most famous Z-boys) tells the inspiring story of himself and his team. Through interviews, archival film footage, and stunningly beautiful still photographs taken by the Z-boys photographers Craig Stecyk and Glen E. Friedman, Peralta delves into both the large and small of the story--from the personal details of skaters' lives to their lasting impact upon a sport that became a culture. The soundtrack--an expertly chosen mix of classic punk rock and heavy metal including The Stooges, Black Sabbath, and Alice Cooper--is the perfect aural complement to this story, reflecting the rebellious attitude that fueled the boys. [More]
Starring: Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, Ian MacKaye
Starring: Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta, Ian MacKaye, Henry Rollins
Director: Stacy Peralta
Director: Stacy Peralta
Screenwriter: Stacy Peralta, Craig Stecyk
Producer: Jay Wilson, Agi Orsi
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
Reviews for Dogtown and Z-Boys
Quite possibly the best documentary about youth and sport since Hoop Dreams.
It's impossible not to admire his joie de vivre -- and this movie's joie de vivre, as well.
Although devoid of objectivity and full of nostalgic comments from the now middle-aged participants, Dogtown and Z-Boys has a compelling story to tell.
If you think a documentary about the birth of modern skateboarding sounds like something worth missing, think again.
You want to know more about their private lives than you get. But most viewers may be too stoked by the sheer adrenaline rush of the subject to care.
This propulsive, highly satisfying 2002 documentary concerns a group of daredevil skateboarders from an economically depressed and dangerous area of Santa Monica known as Dogtown who reinvented the sport in the 70s.
I know exactly nothing about skateboarding, but this wild, exuberant documentary puts it all in perspective, outlining a crew of 12 surfers-turned-skaters who pioneered the sport -- and, some say, the art form.
Using the Zephyr team's creation, its sudden fame, and death by defection, Dogtown documents genuine 20th century tribalism.
The straight cuts illustrate how the Zephyr team's revolutionary, riffing style was both an extension of surfing and aesthetically beautiful.
There is something I find deeply disturbing about a documentary made about one's own life that never acknowledges its first person status.
The film fearlessly gets under the skin of the people involved ... This makes it not only a detailed historical document, but an engaging and moving portrait of a subculture.
It's an entertaining study for anyone, as it makes you believe that skateboarding is the ultimate guerilla sport -- taking something that exists and is shrugged off and turning it into something amazing.
Despite its lack of perspective on history or the evolution of the sport, Dogtown and Z-Boys does what documentaries do best: It makes even viewers who have never touched a skateboard feel a part of the action.
It also paints a vivid portrait of a place, time and tribal gathering where environment, attitude, innovation, athleticism and emphasis on style spawned an accidental revolution of sorts.
Latest News for Dogtown and Z-Boys
June 02, 2005:
Critical Consensus: "Cinderella Man" is No Pumpkin; "Pants" Looks Good
Skaters! Pants! The Great Depression! This week at the movies has it all. Will “Cinderella Man” win the battle for critical accolades? Will “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Dogtown and Z-Boys at Rotten Tomatoes
- Dogtown and Z-Boys at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

