Indie director, Larry Clark is synonymous with skateboarding since he made Kids which featured New York Skaters (including Harold Hunter R.I.P.) in their search for kicks. This time Larry is focusing his attention on a group of misfit Latino skaters from Los Angeles in Wassup Rockers!
A brief synopsis of the movie would be this group of latino kids who dress punk rock and ride their boards in a plea to avoid the dangerous stereotype of South Central gangsters. The crew of kids take long bus rides across town to skate the infamous Beverly Hills High School and its rails (!), but run into trouble with local upper-class skaters and law enforcement.
Reminiscent of The Warriors, the skaters try and make their way back home by jumping fences and crossing various property, which in turn leads to varied encounters. Oh, and there’s a love plot that weaves its way through too.
At a first glimpse, Wassup Rockers might make skaters squirm uncomfortably in their theatre seats due to yet another one-sided cinematographic representation of their culture, but Larry Clark seems to have succeeded in blending a social statement with contemporary standards yet again.
Due out anytime soon, watch the trailer here.