We Were Once Kids

I don't believe Larry Clark had a hidden agenda. He clearly was in awe of how this crew of loyal skaters were living life raw and unedited. It was after meeting and reading Harmony Korine's screenplay he felt it had potential to be a full length motion picture. So turning to his connections in the film industry such as Gus Van Sant, for example to make it happen. At this point is when i felt some of the cast got taken advantage of in terms of pay being the classic it still it to date but on the other hand $1,000 is a considerable amount for those who hardly had any screen time. I don't agree with Clark turning ghost after filming completed since it was a community of people who value friendship, loyalty and commitment from eachother. I understand life moves on for everyone but I'm sure some of the kids just felt dismissed by Larry & Harmony. But neither should be a scapegoat for anyone's failed career since half the cast are now very well established actors/actresses. This is my outsiders perspective, for what it's worth.

I've always been a fan of kids. The period in New York this film depicts and the skate culture is what initially drew me in. I know that it is a controversial film, but I always assumed that it was because of the subject matter being shown. While there is nothing lighthearted about the subject matter I was unaware of the total lack of respect and taking advantage of the kids in the film. It is heartbreaking to watch as they are left in the dust while Larry Clarke takes all the credit and money. Hamilton Hariss does an incredible job at explaining everything that has happened to these kids. If you have scene kids you should watch this as well.

The movie kids, tho great in many ways, is an emotionless affair. Literally characters who find out they have aids don't cry, they just kinda panic. Nobody seems to, or is depicted to, feel anything in that world.

We Were Once Kids is like the photo negative of that. It's emotionally raw, very vulnerable, pathetic even, embarrassing. And I mean all that as a compliment. Here we see young men grappling honestly with regrets, unrealized dreams, friendships, and new realities, they aren't too cool to walk us through the process of finding adult perspectives on hard childhoods, lost childhoods, opportunities - particularly one stinging reveal that was and is forever lost. Even cast wise: the side characters are the stars, the stars mostly absent.

It's a great depiction of the chance to be in the moons orbit and never getting to land there. The filmmakers are in tremendous company.

I did not know about the death of 2 of the lead characters. I have to say it is not really surprising. Coming from that background and environment, it was highly likely going to happen to some of them.

I grew up in a small town in Scotland, and many of my friends I grew up with are now dead at 45; suicide, drugs, the same old same old. Like a universal principle unfortunately. The location changes, but the stories the same. It can be easy to shift blame, but drug addiction and broken families were the largest factors I suspect in their early death. This is not to say that Hamilton is wrong. My feelings are that the movie helped some of the cast in the long run, and had unintended consequences for others. Over all though, was the effect positive or negative? Without stepping foot in an alternative reality, we will never know for sure. Changed the course of participants lives for sure.

For sure they were under paid, but at what point does Harmony and Larry's responsibility end. There were a lot of kids in that movie to adopt. Maybe its a glass half full, half empty scenario. I see them all as legends: cast and crew.

I thank the cast of Kids and all the crew members, as it was a important movie for me, and film that really made me think. Unfortunately the camera verte approach, simply could not have been replicated through paid professional cast members.

Kids was a bold movie, and many do say unethical. From my view, a part of cultural history would be missing without this movie. No one would ever know in future generations what it was like to grow up as an underprivileged kid in New York in the 90's.

Fantastic movie, fantastic follow up documentary. I'd be up for watching more if they can get hold of more cast and crew.

So after watching KIDS I was looking up Justin Pierce Because I was fairly sure I had seen him in some other movies Anyway this documentary about the movie came up So I decided to watch it (Not that it changed my opinion of KIDS) But it did make me feel bad about what the actors went through Larry Clark is a low life scum of the earth Who took advantage of street kids with little or no education It was tragic to learn of the deaths of Justin Pierce and Harold Hunter Very informative and interesting documentary I would highly recommend watching this Strictly my opinion But I think it's better than the actual movie.