Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Once considered to be a passing fad like hula hoops and yo-yos, this documentary looks at how skateboarding was revolutionised by a small handful of teenagers in the 1970s, turning it into the highly recognised (and still popular as ever) sport of today. The documentary is directed by Stacy Peralta, one of the 70s teenagers in question, which is a plus since he spins a very passionate film, however, it is hard not to wonder what a more objective outsider would have done with the material. Much of the film consists of middle aged men reminiscing about their youth, which in itself could have made for an interesting documentary about clinging onto the past. That said, the main reason why there is so much interview footage would seem to be a dearth of surviving 70s footage, which is a shame because the rare, candid glimpses of the past revealed in the old footage is the best part of the film. Sean Penn's voice-over narration is also disappointingly dull and so infrequent that the movie might have worked better without Penn's involvement at all. For all its flaws though, 'Dogtown and Z-Boys' is certainly an informative documentary with a lot of attention dedicated to the influence of surfing on skateboarding and the sheer creativity of imaginative kids back then who saw any empty concrete or asphalt surface as a perfect platform to skate on.

In 1975, Craig Stecyk wrote a series of articles about Zephyr Skateboard Team and an area of California called Dogtown. It's a rundown seedy seaside area where former amusement parks had fallen into ruins. In 1972, Jeff Ho, Skip Engblom, and Craig Stecyk set up a surf shop in Dogtown. They were the rebels of the surfing culture and gathered a group of hungry local kids. Then new wheels allow the kids to skateboard while the waves are down.The style is functional to edgy rock indie. Sean Penn is giving a flat performance as the narrator. The best part of this is watching from people on the inside who were there at the time. It's a fascinating piece of popular culture in a fascinating place. It's an interesting doc for not just surfers and skateboarders.

This is an excellent documentary about the pioneering 1970s Zephyr skate boarding team. They were called the Z Boys and they came from Santa Monica, CA. The team totally revolutionized skate boarding and made it both a true sport and also an art. The film details the origins of the team. It also shows where their moves came from. I certainly agree with the Grammy nomination for best compilation soundtrack. Check out the great clip played during the credits. It sounds like a multi-instrumental homage to one of the great "surf guitarists," but it's not done by a group that you would expect ... you'll see. The film really draws you in. If you like documentaries you should see this film. Besides the Z Boys there is also commentary from Tony Hawk and Henry Rollins. What more could you want?

This movie was awesome. It's a documentary about how surfing influenced skateboarding in the early days. It has interviews with skaters such as Tony Hawk(my idol)=), and Stacy Peralta to name a couple. Dogtown is a so called "ghetto" part of California, where there used to be an amusement park that was torn down. People started riding alongside the dangerous ruins of the park. Soon, the Zepher Surf team was formed. That led to Skateboardings first real start in Dogtown. The Z boys were a team of ragtag teenagers who loved skateboarding and started the phenomenon known as vert skating. They started it by skating in drained swimming pools. That's just a bit of the story behind it. It even contains rare footage from Charlie's Angels of Stacy Peralta making a cameo. I think you should buy this movie if you are a skater. It'll teach you that skateboarding wasn't always popular. Even if you are not, BUY!