AllMovie

Clark Lee Walker's levelland is an accomplished directorial debut, brimming with youthful enthusiasm. Unlike the teens of so much Hollywood fare, Walker's characters are mostly smart and articulate, and devote a good deal of energy to thinking about their place in the world. The strapping, blond Stanley brothers, Zach (Matt Barr) and Nick (Layne McKay), may look like typical surfer boys, but it's apparent from the opening scene, as they ride out on their skateboards to meet friends for a local competition, that there's a lot going on in their pretty heads. And from the beginning, cinematographer Mark Miks does a great job of capturing the way the Texas sky oppressively looms over the flat earth and cul-de-sacs of their dried-out little oil town. The film has clear precedents in other stories about discontented teens hanging out, like Jonathan Kaplan's Over the Edge and Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused, but its focus on skaters and their particular world view sets it apart, while the smartly retro punk soundtrack, including the Replacements, Minutemen, and Elvis Costello, sets the mood perfectly. Levelland does a great job of conveying not just the need for escape, but the anarchic joy that their skateboarding lifestyle brings them, while conversely depicting the discipline required to do it well. Perhaps it's not so surprising that Walker makes skateboarding look exciting, but the depth of the context in which he presents is edifying. The filmmaker also directly addresses issues of class, ethnicity, and gender in an effective and believable way. The cast is engaging and energetic, with standouts including Jessica Schwartz, Erik Ostos, and Logan Camp, and an affecting performance from Marie Black as Zach's confused drama teacher. Walker's impressive DIY-style filmmaking clearly reflects his passion for his subject matter, and his empathy for these characters.