All This Mayhem

2014 "The rise and fall of skateboarding’s most notorious brothers"
7.8| 1h44m| en
Details

A searing account of what happens when raw talent and extreme personalities collide. In this unflinching, never-before-seen account of drugs and the dark side of professional skateboarding, brothers Tas and Ben Pappas' intense bond and charisma take them from the pinnacle of their sport into a spiraling world of self-destruction.

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Also starring Danny Minnick

Reviews

Cubussoli Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!
Clevercell Very disappointing...
Noutions Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .
Robert Joyner The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
Foosa S Runner I Don't normally bother with reviews. Loved this though. Great highs and great lows for sure. Cried my eyes out. I really hope this film does well for Tas and that he has a chance to be at peace with himself and be a good father to his kids and partner to their mums. I suffer from the self destructive stuff myself. Never thought I would have admiration for an Aussie either, this is a brilliant documentary. There are not many films where I can say i have laughed out loud and then had tears welling up almost at the same time. Also I guess a good guide of what to try and avoid when making it big in any arena of your life. I will recommend this documentary to others.
DeeboCools This is the first time I've felt compelled to write a review on IMDb.Just a tiny bit about myself, I'm from the US, born in '87 and grew up a dyed-in-wool BMXer with skater friends. Even tho people talk about rivalry between camps really we all had camaraderie and a sense that we were part of a revolution or movement. The Tappas brothers(upon whom this documentary is centered) were instrumental in a way that I'm only beginning to understand or appreciate. For the record, their names were a faint memory from the X games for me. This gets off to a slow start but the historical knowledge alone was compelling. Can you imagine a determined Australian kid whose sole mission on earth is to defeat Tony Hawk at skateboarding? Now can you imagine that he eventually actually did it, but was to humble(or injured...) to even appreciate the moment? That's only beginning to scratch the surface. The way Tony Hawk is painted as a villainous character( & at least partially I feel now, righteously so) seemed like slaughtering a sacred cow on first impression after faithfully watching the X games growing up but now I have a deeper understanding of how money and grown man rivalries complicate everything.In summation, this movie is ultimately a a grim spectacle. It gets way more bleak and desperate than you might ever expect. There's a murder of some sort. LSD, Cocaine, Prison Stints. It's ultimately pretty dark but that's the how the story happened.
delusionsofgrandeur-29542 I wasn't friends with the Pappas brothers, only ever watched them skate when they would come to town, but growing up a skater myself with many of the same freedoms and benefits that come along with getting paid to do it, this documentary is all too real.This is a must-see regardless of your craft or sport, because unlike many documentaries about famous athletes who fall to addiction, depression and/or violence, you feel a real connection to these kids. They're your neighbors kids, your classmates, your friends, your bullies... No matter how you relate, there's a genuine feel that will grab your emotions and make you pray there's a happy ending. Although in your gut you know in the end there won't be the Pappas brothers holding hands and skipping into the sunset to Leslie Gore's "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows".My only negative about the documentary is the soundtrack. Just awful.
eddie_baggins As they say, truth is much stranger than fiction and coinciding with that perfectly, truth is often far more interesting than fiction which in the case of this fantastic documentary is absolutely the case. For those like myself who knew very little about the skateboarding scene in the early 90's and in particular the often unbelievable story of Australian siblings the Pappas brothers. Eddie Martin's informative and well-crafted documentary will take you on an unforgettable journey to the highest highs (sometimes quite literally) and the lowest lows of an equally inspiring and tragic tale set around the world of competitive skateboarding.All This Mayhem is a film that allows those of us who may not care for skateboarding to not only get sucked into the world of half pipes, vert ramps and 900's but to care for the those inhabiting it. Filled to the brim with homemade and professional stock footage director Martin does a wonderful job of moulding in clips between talking heads, radio interviews and news broadcasts to create a cohesive and unbiased look into the life and times of the Pappas brothers, two bogan (recommend you look this word up on google) brothers from the rough suburbs of Melbourne who not only dreamed big but achieved big in a journey that must be witnessed to be believed.Tas and Ben Pappas are what you'd call the quintessential red blooded Aussie, bull-headed, at times arrogant, fierce competitors and against all odds completely likable. There the type of characters that despite there penitence for a rough as guts exterior, you know deep down there the type of people that would have your back no matter what the odds. The brother's rise through the ranks of the skateboarding world (right through to their dealings with the snobbish sell out that seems to be Tony Hawk) is something utterly unique and compelling and the brothers remain throughout, figures you can't help but be glued to. Martin has compiled at once a great mix of friends, past associates and film clips to create a world that at times feels like a narrative feature not a documentary and it's a credit to the filmmaker's talent that he can draw such true emotion from an undeniably affecting tale.What transpires throughout All This Mayhem can be described as an emotional roller-coaster full of ups and downs and expect to be moved to tears by elements of this real life tale, a tale that against all odds acts as a cautionary tale of what the fall from great heights can look like. An at times joyous and fun ride but also an equally moving and compassionate one, come the final heartbreaking statement from Tas Pappas you'll be well aware that All This Mayhem is not only one of if not the year's best documentaries but one of the year's best films period. Get your skates on and track down a copy today! 4 and a half awkward Hey Hey It's Saturday appearances out of 5