Film Review: “Street Dreams”
I have recently viewed the film, “Street Dreams” produced and directed by Rob Dyrdek. “There are over 13 million skateboarders in the United States alone. 10 million of them identify themselves as street skateboarders. This is their story,” is the quote that starts the film and leads us into meeting our protagonist, Derrick Cabrera. Derrick is carrying the world on his shoulders having to withstand the pressure of doing well in school, satisfying his girlfriend and her family, and even his own family. The only thing that can relax him and take all of this pressure away is skateboarding. Being viewed as an outcast, no one wants anything to do with him, not even his own father. And after a fight with his father which ends in physical confrontation, Derrick decides that his own happiness is more important than satisfying everyone else in his life. So he grabs his board and heads off to make a name for himself in the vast multi-billion dollar industry that is skateboarding. This leads him to the biggest competition of his life, Tampa Am, the largest amateur skate competition in the world. With the hope of rebuilding his relationship with his father, landing a trick that has never been conceived, and proving to the world that he is not a nobody, will Derrick Cabrera be able to handle the pressure? Or will his Street Dreams come crashing down and leave him with nothing but a broken skateboard, and forgotten dreams. This is not your ordinary Hollywood film, this is a film that emphasizes the truth behind skateboarding, and the passion that the skate community has for their sport. This film won the 2009 Audience Award at Newport Beach Film Festival, and continues to be watched around the globe. Let the story of Derrick Cabrera and his misfit group of friends guide you through a story of dedication, frustration, and the opportunity of a lifetime.