This is one of the greatest depictions of late 90s/early 2000's coming of age culture that I've ever seen. I was a skate/punk/suburban kid growing up in a much smaller city than LA, but this hit home....so hard. The idolization of older kids, trying to penetrate the scene, glorifying of drugs/alcohol, having a mentor take you under their wing.
Some kids trying to break out of the lower class life, kids with broken family homes, kids that just tried to drink/drug/f*** away the pain of their family life....
I've had friends that this movie personified *perfectly*. I've lived the life that this movie put into context *exactly*.
I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who lived the skate culture life during this time period. You will not be disappointed.