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BY VAL MAASS
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The new road-trip comedy from first-time director Casey La Scala was a bit of a grind to sit through. It’s not that the dream of likable Eric Rivers (Mike Vogel) to become a pro skateboarder isn’t worthwhile. After all, he’s a new high-school grad with passion, talent, and few other prospects. And it’s not that his best friends’ willingness to give up doing nothing all summer to help him pursue that dream isn’t a tiny bit heartwarming. But as Eric and his ridiculously stereotypical skate buddies hit the road to follow the pro tour, Grind’s problems become clear: it’s just not as funny, as original, or as crude as any of the high-school or Mike Myers comedies it aspires to. What’s worse, someone actually runs away to join the circus. Spectacular skateboarding footage gives the film some legitimacy, but there should have been more of it. The goofy, breast-obsessed Matt (Vince Vieluf) and the laid-back girl-chasing "Sweet Lou" (Joey Kern) are often appealing. And brief appearances by some real pro skaters, as well as by funnymen Randy Quaid and Tom Green, help the movie grind along to its predictably uplifting conclusion. (100 minutes)
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