Paranoid Park directed by Gus Van Sant is filmed in the gritty, hand held camera style that he is now becoming known for (and you could say expected) and therefore is aesthetically similar to his two previous films Elephant and Last Days.  However this film is far more conventional and will satisfy those looking for a sustained narrative and rapid artistic movie followers. 

Based on the novel by Blake Nelson, Paranoid Park takes place in the world of disaffected youth, who place skateboarding above all else as they have little to fulfill their lives.  This sets the at times overbearing depressed tone of the film.  The film introduces Alex (Gabe Nevin) with many characteristics of the outcast teenager (both physical and emotionally.) His family is divorcing, his is withdrawn, is not the best skater and has reactive relationships with girls. 

This film is a mixture of art house film and mystery.  A security guard has been killed and the school and Alex's community believe that he is involved. Alex has inadvertently caused this death but is not coming to terms with what he has done.

This film is an exploration into not only the way that youth feel they do not have to accept responsibility for their actions, even accidental as well as the fear and paranoia that destroys a person after they have committed a crime. This is not able to be explored as deeply as it could though as at times the musical overlays are distracting and it the artistic filming takes away from the emotional drama.  The switch between 35mm filming and Super 8 filming of the skateboard board scenes is distracting and makes it feel as though you are watching the xgames and takes you away from the drama of the film.

This film is fascinating as it presents different filming styles, an interesting soundtrack and script.  The actors were cast via Myspace but they are competent and have a sense of realism which could be a factor of how they were cast.

The extras on this DVD are standard including the "making of" which adds some insight into the style and is probably the only extra worth watching.

Overall Paranoid Park is an intense film that should be watched in the right frame of mind (this is not a popcorn on the couch film) and portrays teenagers in a successful way.

DVD Special Features

Making Of
Extended interview with director Gus Van Sant, cinematographer Christopher Doyle and screenwriter Blake Nelson from ABC TV's AT THE MOVIES
Original theatrical trailer
Dolby® Digital 5.1 Surround Sound