HBO Doc Explores the Singular Focus of Tony Hawk (Review)
In the new HBO documentary 'Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off,' we spend time with the most famous skateboarder on the planet. We also see him at his most vulnerable.
The film, directed by Sam Jones ('I Am Trying To Break Your Heart') and produced by Mark and Jay Duplass, begins with a sequence of groan-inducing failures. As the opening credits roll, we watch for nearly five full minutes as Hawk freefalls countless times while practicing a skate trick. It's hard to watch, mostly because I think we want to view celebrity athletes as invincible gods who cannot do anything wrong.
When you see the man who is arguably the greatest to ever grace the sport having consistent difficulty while he pushes himself physically, it opens your eyes to just how challenging it is to pull off. It's...