Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off – SXSW 2022 review

Tony Hawk : Until the Wheels Fall Off review

Tony Hawk is the world’s most recognizable skateboarder, but he has mostly managed to keep his private life under wraps throughout his decades-long career. Hawk now opens up about his past, the pressures and temptations of his massive success, and his total dedication to his craft in the eye-opening new documentary, Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off.

Director Sam Jones (I Am Trying to Break Your Heart) firmly establishes Hawk as one of the hardest-working athletes in any field in this film. While Hawk often looks visibly uncomfortable talking about his personal life (he would probably rather be skating), Jones leads viewers through a chronological journey of Hawk’s life and skateboarding, from his start as a young pre-teen, his time with the iconic Bones Brigade skating crew and his eventual total dominance over the sport with countless trophies and records.

A relentless (and dangerous) work ethic

Yet despite (or perhaps due to) all of his accolades, Hawk never seems content, always looking for ways he can improve on a trick or expand his repertoire for the next challenge. That drive clearly hasn’t dulled over the years; days before the world premiere of the film at SXSW, Hawk (now 53), broke his leg so badly that he admits he may never skate the same way again.

While Hawk recounts his past with emotion and often with a self-effacing laugh, his family members and former Bones Brigade crew offer the most context on his career and brutal work ethic. Bones Brigade founder Stacy Peralta, in particular, seems to worry the most about Hawk’s desire to keep pushing himself in his ‘50s. Skateboarder Rodney Mullen contributes a Zen-like take on Hawk’s relationship to skateboarding, while also providing the film with its title as he philosophically explains their lifelong commitment to riding until it’s physically impossible to continue.

Until the Wheels Fall Off is an inspiring look at the art of skateboarding, and highlights the grueling physical price Hawk continues to pay for his utter commitment to the sport.

Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off lands on HBO Max on April 5.