Wassup Rockers

I work with youth in Los Angeles, and Wassup Rockers is probably the most accurate non-documentary depiction I have ever seen of LA youth on film. Granted, the "acting" is choppy as it clearly jumps between the kids being themselves, and then saying scripted lines. But the characters are real. The most poignant point of the film was that murders are taking place in impoverished neighborhoods just a short bus ride away from the multi-million dollar homes and cushy lifestyles of Beverly Hills. The story was weak and lacked fluidity, but the reality of the characters made up for it twofold. With the exception of the "preppy" kids, who seemed a bit forced, the characters are all spot on for how LA kids today truly are. And the graphic descriptions of sexuality are not exaggerations. If you want to know exactly what the inner-city youth look like today, look no further than Wassup Rockers. This film is a must see for anyone who intends to work with kids, especially in an urban environment.

For the sake of your time, and mine, I'll skip the synopsis and get right to the point: Larry Clark's Wassup Rockers loses none of the Clark appeal, that his fans have grown to admire, in the switch to a softer film that Clark hopes will be more accepted by distributors than his previous movies. As most of Clark's fans know endeavors such as Ken Park, Kids and Bully have all focused around 'bad' kids, however, in Rockers, the kids are just trying to be themselves without getting harassed by their peers for not succumbing to the hip-hop element so present in their South Central neighbourhood. During the boys' eventful day in Beverly Hills, a parallel to The Warriors, a favorite of Clark's, can be clearly drawn. In short, this has been Larry Clark's best film to date. So great in fact, even my girlfriend who is not a fan of Larry Clark at all really enjoyed it.

In the vain of films like "Hangin' with the Homeboys" and Larry Clark's own "Kids" this film depicts a day in the life of a group of friends who, for the most part, don't click with societal norms. They're teenage Latino skateboarders who are into punk and come from South Central, LA and basically come and go as they please through the different facets that make the city what it is. It's through them that we discover the racial, cultural and class divides that exist within the different neighborhoods. Just like the neo-realist directors from Italy who made docu-style dramas by enlisting the help of non-actors, lending the film some realism, Larry Clark hires actual local kids to play the lead parts (as he did in "Kids"). Unfortunately, some of the scenes seem forced with unrealistic dialogue and under-developed characterization (referring to the supporting cast) totally dependent on unnecessary moments meant to push the story along. In other words, certain scenes seem written for the sake of exposing certain stereotypes or for shock value but they fall out of place within the story line. Several times I lost my suspension of disbelief and just said out loud "really...?" "Did that really have to happen?" Regardless, it's not a bad film at all, as a matter of fact its saving grace lies in the fact that as the film progresses you really get to know the characters and unlike the rest of the supporting cast, the leads at least do get fleshed out and really that's what this movie is all about. So if that's what you want then I recommend it.

I live in Houston. In my senior year at high school I met a guy who eventually became one of my best friends. We came from different socioeconomic backgrounds, he was the 'Wassup Rocker' I was the 'Beverly Hills' kid. But we bonded over a mutual love for music and dicking around. Especially punk music. Anyways, that's all kinda irrelevant but the point is that the way these kids are portrayed in Wassup Rockers is exactly how he and his punk friends act. It's almost scary. You know the line where one character talks about black girls always wanting to touch and braid his hair but him not letting them etc. etc., I heard that before this was even made! A lot of people say that this film is unrealistic in its manner and dialog.. Sadly and fortunately it's not, that's really how it is.. And it's probably why I like it so much compared to the other people who have reviewed it.

Now despite that, as a film it is not perfect. The actors are awkward (cuz' they're amateurs picked because in real life they are 'Wassup Rockers'), although that is forgivable considering they're supposed to be awkward teens. The major flaw in this movie, I feel, is its lack of plot and structure. It's all kinda strung together and lacks a 'film-like' feel. Also some of the situations are uncalled for and in my honest opinion unrealistic like others have said.

Wassup Rockers is a marginally amusing exercise in the world of delinquents and under-privileged youth, but I am instantly reminded of the director's, Larry Clark, other works such as Bully and Kids, which were far, far superior to this film. The film plays like a tired rehash of previously fresh ideas, and while we understand that Clark has a deep fascination and understanding of the teenage wasteland that currently exists today, we are unsure how much longer he can keep the idea going.

The film focuses on a group of Guatemalan and Salvadoran skaters in Southern Los Angeles, that rebel against conventional society by not conforming to the simple-minded hip-hop style and music their gang-driven neighborhood happily enjoys. The teens are often referred to as "rockers," as they wear skin-tight jeans, listen to heavy metal and punk music, and proudly wear their hair long and thick. We follow them as they wander aimlessly from skate-park to skate-park, looking for excitement and thrills, as well as some much needed escapism. They wind up being fish out of water when they take a trip to the 90210 culture of Beverly Hills, where they meet two lovely young women who allow them to stop by their house "any time." This is the domino to the trigger of catastrophic events that are likely to and will unfold.

A third of the film is devoted to getting to vaguely know these faces and show how they operate in their skating world, the other is devoted to showing how they associate with the upper-class when they hail from "the ghetto," and the remaining third shows them acting under pressure and fear. Tonally, the film is confused, widely uneven, and unable to keep a solid shift through the day's events without gradually throwing in a curveball.

The characters have some recognizable substance to them, but they are sort of cardboard stereotypes, despite the film's efforts to try and lead them away from that common cliché. The film teeters on the edge of these kids opening up, but it quickly becomes rambling, directionless monologues instead of truly insightful pieces. It is also fair to say that all of the teen-actors do an admirable job at working with the script, and many, if not all, of them are first time actors, showcasing truly remarkable talents in central roles.

The film's main goal is to try and put ongoing tensions between class differences and race-relations on the spot. It succeeds in many of its initial goals, and doesn't come off as heavy-handed or overly preachy. Try saying the same about Crash.

Many shots incorporate heavy rock music, with montages and long shots of skateboarding. This is where the film shines as a whole. It is welcoming to see this human appearance, and Clark has shot long instances of events previously, mainly in his film Kids. Honestly, it seems as if Wassup Rockers plays like a watered down, neutered version of that film. I truly admired Kids for its consistency, bravery, and screenplay, which bled poignancy and sadness, but Wassup Rockers can't even come close to approaching the chords that film hit effortlessly. Clark has said a lot about the teenage youth in the past, but he doesn't use this effort to say much of anything provocative.

Starring: Jonathan Velasquez, Francisco Pedrasa, Milton Velasquez, and Yunior Usualdo Panameno. Directed by: Larry Clark.