Rotten Tomatoes Logo Do you want to see ‘Lords of Dogtown’?

Lords of Dogtown (2005)

tomatometer

55

Average Rating: 6/10
Reviews Counted: 142
Fresh: 78 | Rotten: 64

Lords of Dogtown, while slickly made and edited, lacks the depth and entertaining value of the far superior documentary on the same subject, Dogtown and Z-Boys.

61

Average Rating: 6.5/10
Critic Reviews: 33
Fresh: 20 | Rotten: 13

Lords of Dogtown, while slickly made and edited, lacks the depth and entertaining value of the far superior documentary on the same subject, Dogtown and Z-Boys.

audience

81

liked it
Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 65,107

My Rating

Movie Info

The true story of the kids who created modern skateboard culture is recreated in this drama. In the early '70s, skateboards were seen as a fad of the 1960s that had all but died out, but in a rough-and-tumble Venice, CA community known as "Dogtown," that was about to change. Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk), Stacy Peralta (John Robinson), and Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch) were three guys who liked to surf the rugged beaches around Venice and hung out at the Zephyr Surf Shop, a store run by Skip Engblom

PG-13, 1 hr. 47 min.

Drama, Action & Adventure

Stacy Peralta

Sep 27, 2005

$11.0M

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Cast

All Critics (155) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (84) | Rotten (65) | DVD (23)

These kids can act, and they can ride those boards.

June 6, 2005 Full Review Source: Ebert & Roeper | Comment
Ebert & Roeper
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Lords of Dogtown stays afloat, largely because many of its actors transcend Hardwicke's heavy-handed storytelling.

June 3, 2005 Full Review Source: Salon.com | Comment
Salon.com
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Lords of Dogtown isn't a cop-out, but rather an ever-so-slight concession to commercialism, while Dogtown and Z-Boys was, above all else, a love song to the counterculture.

June 3, 2005 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Washington Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

If watching Dogtown and Z-Boys was tantamount to witnessing history itself, watching Lords of Dogtown, which Peralta wrote, feels more like watching a stiff, meticulously choreographed reenactment.

June 3, 2005 Full Review Source: Washington Post | Comment
Washington Post
Top Critic IconTop Critic

It's hard to think of a movie since 1950's Sunset Boulevard that has gotten more dramatic impact out of a pool.

June 3, 2005 Full Review Source: USA Today | Comment
USA Today
Top Critic IconTop Critic

For someone who was there, not to mention someone who created Dogtown and Z-Boys, Peralta has crafted a script so superficial and simplistic it feels like it was tapped out by a 14-year-old fan.

June 3, 2005 Full Review Source: Toronto Star | Comment
Toronto Star
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Lords of Dogtown is an interesting look at the start of an ever increasingly more popular part of American youth culture, but often settles for surface gloss instead of introspection.

March 29, 2011 Full Review Source: ComingSoon.net | Comment
ComingSoon.net

As the three friends separate via commercial successes afforded them, "Lords Of Dogtown" becomes a distinctly youthful American anecdote about the nature of friendship and success.

April 15, 2009 Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | Comment
ColeSmithey.com

Full-on portrait of 70's teen skater culture in Venice, CA.

July 24, 2008 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment
Common Sense Media

You don't have to care much about skateboarding (I really don't) to find the movie exhilarating and engaging.

August 13, 2007 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | Comment
eFilmCritic.com

Dogtown's testosterone fueled, deeply and sadly affectionate excursion into the contact highs and lows of male adolescence, gets it just right and more.

April 19, 2007 Full Review | Comment
Long Island Press

A modestly entertaining movie, thanks largely to the efforts of director Catherine Hardwicke and the three leads.

March 1, 2007 Full Review Source: Film Journal International | Comment
Film Journal International

It is about the way that athletes can push one another, it is about the effects of fame upon friendship, and it is a successful attempt to create a portrait of an entire social environment.

July 20, 2006 Full Review Source: Movie City News | Comment
Movie City News

The flick's watchable enough, but if you want an exhilarating look back at the exact same folks, I'd just stick with the documentary version.

October 18, 2005 Full Review Source: DVD Clinic | Comment
DVD Clinic
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Lords of Dogtown

Lords of Dogtown, is present by his director with a documentary style, the skateboard world in the early 70's. Is a entretaining film, very good to skate fans.

November 21, 2011
Lucas Martins

Super Reviewer

Based on the true story of the legendary z-boys.Very good movie, really enjoyable and fun! The story is very primitive and intoxicating which really brings out the taste of such sweet filming. Very good acting from everyone and a superb cast!The true story of the kids who created modern skateboard culture is recreated

October 15, 2009
xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
Manu Gino

Super Reviewer

Lords of Dogtown Quotes

No quotes approved yet for Lords of Dogtown. Logged in users can submit quotes.

Movies Like Lords of Dogtown

Latest News for Lords of Dogtown

November 30, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Nativity" Is Too Safe; "Turistas" Not Worth Trip
This week at the movies, we've got a new take on the first Noel ("The Nativity Story,"...

September 21, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Jackass" Kicks; "King" Is Dethroned; "Fearless" Is Action-Packed; "Flyboys" Is Grounded
This week at the movies, we've got antisocial behavior ("Jackass: Number Two," with Johnny...

What's Hot On RT

Luis Guzman
Luis Guzman

What are his 10 best movies ever?

<em>Amazing Spider-Man</em>
Amazing Spider-Man

See the all-new action-packed trailer!

The Avengers!
The Avengers!

Five new Marvelous pictures

Total Recall
Total Recall

Unconventional Superheroes

Top Movie Quizzes

LEGO Mania: 2011 Best Picture Nominees
by natalie - 18,529 taken
created 12 months ago
How Much Do You Know About Leonardo DiCaprio?
by natalie - 44,332 taken
created 15 months ago
Pixar Movies!
by jdikwlzviv - 27,094 taken
created 15 months ago
The Wizards of Harry Potter
by jdikwlzviv - 27,606 taken
created 15 months ago

Foreign Titles

  • Dogtown Boys (DE)
  • Les Seigneurs de Dogtown (FR)
Help | About | Jobs | Newsletter | Critics Submission | API | Licensing | Blog | Developers | Mobile