Minding the Gap (2018) starts off as a simple coming of age documentary observing three main subjects, Keire Johnson, Zack Mulligan, and Bing Liu (who is also the director and filmmaker), in the Rust Belt. The trio grows up on the streets of Rockford, Illinois, where skateboarding serves as more than just a fun pastime to hang out with friends. It becomes an escape from their troubled home lives and serves as an outlet for difficult emotions.
Skateboarding also becomes a canvas for depicting both healthy and toxic masculinity. The film portrays the consequences of domestic abuse between generations, but it also captures moments where they open up for the camera, delving into their emotions simply because someone asked. The observed toxic masculinity in the film is mirrored in the experiences of our main subjects both at home and in skateboarding. They smash their boards to pieces at the slightest crack and stomp and scream when unable to land a trick. In their immaturity, they express their frustrations through violence, illustrating that this is the only way they know how to cope.
Our subjects want to leave Rockford for a better life elsewhere, hoping to escape the challenges of a deindustrialized city. This is a typical element seen in many Rust Belt movies. However, the film reveals a poignant reality as the trio often end up falling into the same vicious cycle as everyone else. While this aspect is commonly depicted in Rust Belt movies, this film goes further to demonstrate the intersectionality between each topic, illustrating how they become intertwined and influence one another.
