Jonah Hill makes his directorial debut with Mid90s but is he a born director?
Mid90s is the story of 13-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic), an observant teen who is at home is raised by single mother Dabney (Alien: Covenant star Katherine Waterston) alongside his abusive older brother Ian (Oscar-nominee Lucas Hedges). Seeking his place in the world, Stevie falls in with a gang of older skaters where his new friends offer new exciting but also dangerous experiences.
Will his desire to fit in lead to terrible consequences?
Jonah Hill has definitely crafted an immersive cinematic experience with Mid90s. Through the use of a square aspect ratio and the video quality of a VHS, the visuals of the film evoke a 90s aesthetic alongside the pitch-perfect fashion and setting of the film.
Evoking classics of the coming-of-age genre from American Graffiti, Rebel Without A Cause, Kids (director Harmony Korine even cameos here), to the works of Hill's hero Martin Scorsese, it's clear where Hill is taking his inspiration from.
But it is not just the material trappings of the film that works so well, it feels authentic in its direction and acting portrayal that - save for a few more lyrical and musically engaging sequences - feels almost documentary-like in examining a youth subculture in a specific time and place.
The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - David Fincher's regular collaborators - is also very well-judged and feels hypnotic and natural alongside the pop and hip-hop period music track choices, from Wu Tang Clan to Morrisey.
Young star Sunny Suljic is also a real find. With palpable screen presence, an inherent sense of sensitivity and a complete natural in front of the camera, Suljic is a real find for Hill and he anchors the tale by making Stevie an entirely understandable character even when his actions and words remain cryptic.
The other young actors who play the charismatic and magnetic fellow members of the gang are also brimming with personality and confidence, particularly Na-kel Smith as the wise and aspirational gang leader Ray, who takes a real shine to Stevie for a very touching reason.
Despite their importance, Stevie's family do get short shrift. Hedges manages to imbue the brutish Ian with a degree of empathy despite his despicable actions, however, and really milks his few heaviest scenes for all his worth.
Waterson is completely underused as Dabney, mostly reduced to nagging or an off-screen Freudian explanation for bad behaviour.
This is characteristic of women on the whole in the film, who are more or less non-existent beyond the under-defined Dabney and sexual interests of the boys.
Speaking of which, the issue that many have and will face with Mid90s is its no-holds-barred approach to capturing the youths of its day with complete realism.
There are various racial, homophobic and sexist slurs and derogatory speech that it may feel over-saturated, but this does feel entirely natural to the setting and characters and not forced, feeling very warts-and-all in its approach.
The biggest issue lies with an underage sex scene that while not sexually explicit may prove too uncomfortable and unnecessary for much of the audience, especially as the point of the scene seems to be just the over-importance of sex to pubescent teens and could have been conveyed in a less sensationalist manner.
Hill may be trying to capture an unfiltered sense of reality but this felt edgy for edgy's sake.
The gender representation and sexuality portrayed in the film is certainly a misfire for Hill, and at times it is obvious that this is a directorial debut with some majorly undercooked areas of storytelling, but otherwise, the Hollywood star proved he has much to offer as a director.
Verdict
Jonah Hill directs a no-filter coming-of-age tale that succeeds in creating an authentic sense of time and place, despite some miscalculated areas.
Mid90s is released in UK cinemas on April 12, 2019.
