Is there a name for a movie that was hated by critics, enjoyed by fans, and also lost roughly one million dollars upon the initial theatrical release? There may not be, but 2003’s skate scene film Grind is that movie. It had no box office turnout, no love from film buffs, yet it did garner and has retained something of a following. Is it that bad of a movie? Objectively, no, not really. Is it a sleeper hit that’s just completely misunderstood by most of the film world? Also no. That doesn’t mean that it’s not an overlooked, enjoyable watch.
It’s a fairly basic story, though it is fun. Fun is honestly, actually, the best way to describe Grind.
Skateboarding has been ‘in’ for years so when Grind was released it wasn’t as though writer Ralph Sall or film director Casey La Scala were scratching the surface of something much bigger or prestigious than skating was already. They did however tap into a niche that punk rockers, skaters, and young teens of the early 2000s were involved in, and on an authentic level. The movie follows four friends, three of whom have just graduated high school, who decide to take a chance by following a professional skater’s tour around the country in the hopes of getting noticed. Eric, Matt, Dustin, and Sweet Lou embark on a road trip posing as a sponsored team in order to make an attempt at skating the events, the ultimate goal being to turn pro. Along the way they grow closer, grow up, experience ups and downs, and try their upmost to achieve greatness.
It’s a fairly basic story, though it is fun. Fun is honestly, actually, the best way to describe Grind. Beyond chasing the American dream, there’s no underlying message or deeper subtext. Sall’s writing is accurate when considering the age of the characters and the point of where they’re at in life. Scala’s directing is somewhat underrated, especially when examining the ‘virt’ skate scenes and how close they were able to shoot the skaters performing the stunts. Then there’s the actors. Mike Vogel is the straight man (sort of) in all this as Eric, being the most driven, with Adam Brody and Vince Vieluf dishing out most of the comedy together as Dustin and Matt. Joey Kern’s performance as Sweet Lou is equally comical, stealing plenty of moments with his suave style and charm when being show as irresistible to the ladies. Everything is basic, but it is watchable and it does work.
It will be either skate fans, skaters, young teens, or even young male adults who find a movie like Grind to have some appeal. If the skating itself is of no interest to viewers, there’s still plenty of dirty humor, improvisation, and also a killer soundtrack featuring a solid selection of rock bands from the early part of the new millennium. Don’t expect to be shocked by stellar cinematography or to be overwhelmed with emotion. It’s not that kind of party. It is good however for a slow day with no reason to think or contemplate anything important.
