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| Scene from Mid90s |
In case you didn't know, A24 is one of the great purveyors of modern cinema. Since 2013, the studio has found a way to innovate independent cinema by turning each release into an event. As a result, A24 A-to-Z will be an ongoing series that looks at every release from the studio by analyzing its production history, release, criticisms, and any awards attention that it might've received. Join me on a quest to explore the modern heroes of cinema by exploring every hit and miss that comes with that magnificent logo. They may not all be great, but they more than make A24 what it is and what it will hopefully continue to be for years to come.
Released: October 26, 2018
Release Number: 75
Directed By: Jonah Hill
Starring: Sunny Suljic, Katherine Waterston, Lucas Hedges
Plot: Follows Stevie, a thirteen-year-old in 1990s-era Los Angeles who spends his summer navigating between his troubled home life and a group of new friends that he meets at a Motor Avenue skate shop.
If one was to look at the Fall season for A24, the year 2018 was arguably their least successful. Not only were there not any Oscar-contending films, but the choice to make Jonah Hill's directorial debut Mid90s the sole awards contender in hindsight seems baffling. Even for those who loved the film, it was closer to the experimental kitsch that the studio was known for than even their more prestigious 2018 films like The Children Act. Even with a story known more for its controversial use of homophobic language and being "the other skateboarding movie," it had what remains one of the most professional assemblances of crew and influences behind the scenes. For a film that follows a bunch of dumb kids going around skateboarding to hip-hop, it had a lot going on that was interesting. The only question was if it was interesting in a way that reflected on the screen.
The story began sometime in 2011 or 2012. Hill had established himself as an actor, most notably gaining popularity as a comedian for Judd Apatow produced comedies like Knocked Up and Superbad. Nobody would've expected him to become a more serious actor from there, earning two Oscar nominations and working with just about every living prestigious director. It is likely why he began to write the script that would become Mid90s, wishing to take the next step in his career. Over the course of 20 drafts, he wrote a story that was reminiscent of his childhood, full of personal details though reportedly not autobiographical. He believed that movies about skating and hip-hop were never done right and he wanted to take the opportunity to make a film that was authentic without falling into cheap nostalgia. After three or four years of writing, he showed his script to Scott Rudin in 2015 and things got going from there.
Hill took Rudin's advice and continually came back for feedback. Because he was also continuing to act at this time, he also had meetings with the various filmmakers he knew. The most helpful came from Spike Jonze, who helped Hill condense the screenplay down to its core. He also sought advice from Harmony Korine, notably because Hill found influence in his film Kids. Of the higher-profile mentors he sought, themselves turning into key parts of the marketing, was Martin Scorsese. Hill worked with Scorsese on The Wolf of Wall Street and admired how "the greatest living filmmaker" was capable of making important decisions in seconds. He reportedly had a four-hour meeting with him that helped to shape the film. He also sought advice from Ethan Coen, who co-directed Hill in Hail, Caesar!, who told him to not give in to the pressure and follow instinct. He would later get feedback from Greg Mottola, who directed Superbad, who was surprised that Hill was capable of making a film with realism like Mid90s. The film would begin shooting in 2017.
Hill chose Lucas Hedges as the tough older brother because he liked seeing him play against type. The dynamic between Hedges and co-star Sunny Soljic was heavily rehearsed, as the actors wanted to make the role feel more authentic. When going further into the authenticity of the film, Hill would consult Rudin about whether or not it was appropriate to use a homophobic slur beginning with 'f'. It was decided that it would be more offensive to change history, as Hill felt that these were lessons that needed to be unlearned. To get the characters into perspective, Hill would give each of them iPods full of era-appropriate music. This helped them to imagine what it felt like to skate in a time when skateboarding was sometimes illegal and it was for the outcasts who were grungy. Suljic would skate to it and others slowly began to change their personal behavior to better reflect the atmosphere that Hill was going for. Even then, Hill was considered to be a very affectionate director, allowing the young cast to goof off and improvise if they wanted. Even then, it was said that they were wanting to take it seriously.
One of the most popular criticisms of Mid90s was that Hill was trying to make an independent film with a predominantly professional crew. Not only was he getting script notes from Rudin and talking to established filmmakers like Scorsese and Coen, but most of his crew had worked on Oscar-nominated/winning films. Considering that he also had his own holiday (Jonah Hill Day, June 2, started by the Failing Upwards podcast) and fashionably considered an Instagram icon with his "boho chic" style, he had a lot working against the argument that he was making an authentic story. It didn't help that of the first three people to see the film were just as famous with musicians Frank Ocean and Q-Tip, and sister Beanie Feldstein. Mottola would also see an early cut and help to praise the film ahead of its release. Closing out the list of high-end collaborators were Oscar-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who Hill managed to get because of Rudin. He wanted Reznor and Ross to create a score that felt like Nine Inch Nails doing "warmth." The duo finished the brief score while on tour, reportedly finishing it in their hotel room after playing at the Royal Albert Hall Theater.
The good news was that the film managed to be one of A24's more interesting films to market. This included a 'zine that Hill created called Inner Children where he interviewed his friends about what it was like to be children. Among those he interviewed were: Q-Tip, Michael Cera, Edie Falco, and Dr. Phl Stutz. There was also a promotional Fingerboard released. Hill would bring the cast to interviews, which left an often positive impression with interviewers who found their casual enthusiasm to be endearing to the film's image. It created a sense of community and made the film feel more authentic. Even then, Hill would talk about his meetings with Scorsese and Coen, or how he left a production meeting one day to attend Kanye West's album release party. He was passionate about the project, and his time on the press circuit kept him out of interviews for his other project, the Netflix series Maniac that was released a month before the film and reteamed him with Emma Stone. Another aspect that was scrutinized was the strange occurrence that 2018 featured three skateboarding-related movies: Mid90s, the more female-oriented Skate Kitchen, and documentary Minding the Gap. They all fought for attention about which would be the superior tale, though it was apparent that A24 believed most in Mid90s as an Oscar contender, especially given that it was their last release of 2018 and the only "serious movie" released in the prime real estate of the season (post-November) other than b-horror-comedy Slice. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2018 to positive reviews. It would lead to a fairly successful box office of $9.3 million.
Critically, the film did very well. On critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, Mid90s barely missed the mid-90s with a rating of 81%. Ed Potton of Times (UK) leads the positivity when saying that "Mid90s is alive to the debauchery and obnoxiousness of teenagers, but also to their warmth and loyalty." Even those who seemed critical like Adam Woodward of Little White Lies had some nice things to say when "The dramatic third act is a tad Hollywood, but this is a lot of fun." Nick Hutton of CineVue captured the less interested opinions when suggesting that "It is almost the definition of a minor film: low on plot, low on urgency, held together by little more than a sense of feeling and its A-list director." The film would receive one Spirit Awards nomination, though it fell far behind other Fall-season A24 films of previous years when it came to the Oscars. Of A24's line-up that whole year, only First Reformed earned a Best Original Screenplay nomination. Even in the realm of skateboarding, the film missed out to Minding the Gap, which earned (but lost) the Best Documentary category.
There is a strong chance that Hill will eventually release another film sooner than later as director. The only question is what will it be, and will it come with less criticism about its authenticity than Mid90s. With that said, it was a fine film that proved itself capable of competing with other indie films and that one could look as professional and raw at the same time. It was a nice little film to include, especially in the camp of beloved actor turned director that had the likes of Greta Gerwig' Lady Bird make it all the way to a Best Picture nomination. Still, there's room to grow for Hill, and one will have to wonder when and if that day will come. For now, it's time to mark the end of another calendar for the studio and look forward to 2019, where things are looking more successful and interesting. Up first is another tale of renegade outcasts who like on the street with the biker drama Outlaws.
Up Next: Outlaws (2019)
If one was to look at the Fall season for A24, the year 2018 was arguably their least successful. Not only were there not any Oscar-contending films, but the choice to make Jonah Hill's directorial debut Mid90s the sole awards contender in hindsight seems baffling. Even for those who loved the film, it was closer to the experimental kitsch that the studio was known for than even their more prestigious 2018 films like The Children Act. Even with a story known more for its controversial use of homophobic language and being "the other skateboarding movie," it had what remains one of the most professional assemblances of crew and influences behind the scenes. For a film that follows a bunch of dumb kids going around skateboarding to hip-hop, it had a lot going on that was interesting. The only question was if it was interesting in a way that reflected on the screen.
The story began sometime in 2011 or 2012. Hill had established himself as an actor, most notably gaining popularity as a comedian for Judd Apatow produced comedies like Knocked Up and Superbad. Nobody would've expected him to become a more serious actor from there, earning two Oscar nominations and working with just about every living prestigious director. It is likely why he began to write the script that would become Mid90s, wishing to take the next step in his career. Over the course of 20 drafts, he wrote a story that was reminiscent of his childhood, full of personal details though reportedly not autobiographical. He believed that movies about skating and hip-hop were never done right and he wanted to take the opportunity to make a film that was authentic without falling into cheap nostalgia. After three or four years of writing, he showed his script to Scott Rudin in 2015 and things got going from there.
Hill took Rudin's advice and continually came back for feedback. Because he was also continuing to act at this time, he also had meetings with the various filmmakers he knew. The most helpful came from Spike Jonze, who helped Hill condense the screenplay down to its core. He also sought advice from Harmony Korine, notably because Hill found influence in his film Kids. Of the higher-profile mentors he sought, themselves turning into key parts of the marketing, was Martin Scorsese. Hill worked with Scorsese on The Wolf of Wall Street and admired how "the greatest living filmmaker" was capable of making important decisions in seconds. He reportedly had a four-hour meeting with him that helped to shape the film. He also sought advice from Ethan Coen, who co-directed Hill in Hail, Caesar!, who told him to not give in to the pressure and follow instinct. He would later get feedback from Greg Mottola, who directed Superbad, who was surprised that Hill was capable of making a film with realism like Mid90s. The film would begin shooting in 2017.
Hill chose Lucas Hedges as the tough older brother because he liked seeing him play against type. The dynamic between Hedges and co-star Sunny Soljic was heavily rehearsed, as the actors wanted to make the role feel more authentic. When going further into the authenticity of the film, Hill would consult Rudin about whether or not it was appropriate to use a homophobic slur beginning with 'f'. It was decided that it would be more offensive to change history, as Hill felt that these were lessons that needed to be unlearned. To get the characters into perspective, Hill would give each of them iPods full of era-appropriate music. This helped them to imagine what it felt like to skate in a time when skateboarding was sometimes illegal and it was for the outcasts who were grungy. Suljic would skate to it and others slowly began to change their personal behavior to better reflect the atmosphere that Hill was going for. Even then, Hill was considered to be a very affectionate director, allowing the young cast to goof off and improvise if they wanted. Even then, it was said that they were wanting to take it seriously.
One of the most popular criticisms of Mid90s was that Hill was trying to make an independent film with a predominantly professional crew. Not only was he getting script notes from Rudin and talking to established filmmakers like Scorsese and Coen, but most of his crew had worked on Oscar-nominated/winning films. Considering that he also had his own holiday (Jonah Hill Day, June 2, started by the Failing Upwards podcast) and fashionably considered an Instagram icon with his "boho chic" style, he had a lot working against the argument that he was making an authentic story. It didn't help that of the first three people to see the film were just as famous with musicians Frank Ocean and Q-Tip, and sister Beanie Feldstein. Mottola would also see an early cut and help to praise the film ahead of its release. Closing out the list of high-end collaborators were Oscar-winning composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who Hill managed to get because of Rudin. He wanted Reznor and Ross to create a score that felt like Nine Inch Nails doing "warmth." The duo finished the brief score while on tour, reportedly finishing it in their hotel room after playing at the Royal Albert Hall Theater.
The good news was that the film managed to be one of A24's more interesting films to market. This included a 'zine that Hill created called Inner Children where he interviewed his friends about what it was like to be children. Among those he interviewed were: Q-Tip, Michael Cera, Edie Falco, and Dr. Phl Stutz. There was also a promotional Fingerboard released. Hill would bring the cast to interviews, which left an often positive impression with interviewers who found their casual enthusiasm to be endearing to the film's image. It created a sense of community and made the film feel more authentic. Even then, Hill would talk about his meetings with Scorsese and Coen, or how he left a production meeting one day to attend Kanye West's album release party. He was passionate about the project, and his time on the press circuit kept him out of interviews for his other project, the Netflix series Maniac that was released a month before the film and reteamed him with Emma Stone. Another aspect that was scrutinized was the strange occurrence that 2018 featured three skateboarding-related movies: Mid90s, the more female-oriented Skate Kitchen, and documentary Minding the Gap. They all fought for attention about which would be the superior tale, though it was apparent that A24 believed most in Mid90s as an Oscar contender, especially given that it was their last release of 2018 and the only "serious movie" released in the prime real estate of the season (post-November) other than b-horror-comedy Slice. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2018 to positive reviews. It would lead to a fairly successful box office of $9.3 million.
Critically, the film did very well. On critics aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, Mid90s barely missed the mid-90s with a rating of 81%. Ed Potton of Times (UK) leads the positivity when saying that "Mid90s is alive to the debauchery and obnoxiousness of teenagers, but also to their warmth and loyalty." Even those who seemed critical like Adam Woodward of Little White Lies had some nice things to say when "The dramatic third act is a tad Hollywood, but this is a lot of fun." Nick Hutton of CineVue captured the less interested opinions when suggesting that "It is almost the definition of a minor film: low on plot, low on urgency, held together by little more than a sense of feeling and its A-list director." The film would receive one Spirit Awards nomination, though it fell far behind other Fall-season A24 films of previous years when it came to the Oscars. Of A24's line-up that whole year, only First Reformed earned a Best Original Screenplay nomination. Even in the realm of skateboarding, the film missed out to Minding the Gap, which earned (but lost) the Best Documentary category.
There is a strong chance that Hill will eventually release another film sooner than later as director. The only question is what will it be, and will it come with less criticism about its authenticity than Mid90s. With that said, it was a fine film that proved itself capable of competing with other indie films and that one could look as professional and raw at the same time. It was a nice little film to include, especially in the camp of beloved actor turned director that had the likes of Greta Gerwig' Lady Bird make it all the way to a Best Picture nomination. Still, there's room to grow for Hill, and one will have to wonder when and if that day will come. For now, it's time to mark the end of another calendar for the studio and look forward to 2019, where things are looking more successful and interesting. Up first is another tale of renegade outcasts who like on the street with the biker drama Outlaws.
Up Next: Outlaws (2019)
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