It’s hard to imagine a time when the internet wasn’t as big as it is now. Growing up during the rise of social media, I’ve always wondered what it was like without it. Most of my generation will never know, but Kid 90, a documentary by Soleil Moon-Frye (a.k.a “Punky Brewster” from 1980s television) gives us a taste. Kid 90 is a hodgepodge of home videos, diary entries, and audio recordings juxtaposed with current-day interviews of the kids–now adults– from the videos. It’s an homage to 90s kids. But at its core, Kid 90 is a testament to the beauty of being alive.
Videos can be a glimpse into the past, but most of us only have a few short moments recorded to look back on. Moon-Frye has almost every moment of her teens and early 20s on tape. Within those tapes are images of her younger self and her friends such as other famous child actors including the cast of Saved by the Bell and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Many famous documentaries about actors and musicians curate the footage to tell the audience a specific story about the person they have been watching on screen for years. However, what makes Kid 90 so effective is that the curation is minimal and focuses more on telling the story as it is shown through the tapes. Using diary entries and other audio media to add to the overall narrative gives the documentary a raw feel because it centers its voice in the reality of being a kid of the 90s.
Different from the voice of kids now, which we often know as outspoken, courageous, and impassioned, the voice of these 90s kids is one that is raw, innocent, and wild. As we move through the documentary, one of Moon-Fyre’s friends notes that, unlike contemporary times, the most anyone thought about where these tapes of Moon-Frye’s would go is that it would end up under someone’s bed. In the age of the 90s, most people weren’t concerned with the Internet and its lasting effects. The idea of it was fascinating, though, and as Kid 90 goes to show, taking videos of you and your friend was something that was fun and lighthearted.
This was a big difference from how cameras were used on set for many of these kids because the camera being on for work meant that they weren’t kids anymore (as producers or directors liked to say on TV sets of the 90s). Having one camera be only about having fun as a kid allowed Moon-Frye and her friends to reclaim their stories. The camera became a constant companion for her friend group because the internet was not yet something to be feared.
Going back to these tapes now, so many years later, is heartwarming and painful for many of the subjects in the documentary. Life is not without its rough spots and when there is a camera in front of your face during your awkward moments, it can transport you back there. Kid 90 is a source of nostalgia for many who were there during the 90s.
Even though many people may wonder what coming of age would be like without technology, that is not only what Kid 90 is about. Moon-Frye notes that she finally opened up “the vault” because she wanted to know if her memories of those years were truly accurate. In doing so, she opened up memories of friends long gone and trauma deeply buried. Within that darkness she found a bigger truth: this part of their lives held “so much love.”
Kid 90 is both beautiful and tragic. It’s real because it examines lives that have been turned upside down by fame and lives that are still being written. Society tends to forget that child actors are kids who want to try new things and end up making mistakes. Soleil Moon-Frye doesn’t shy away from anything her younger self did because that made her who she is. Kid 90 is a celebration of youth, a commentary on mental health, and a critical take on the subject of fame. It will inspire you to live your life as much as possible and to love as hard as you can.
And yes, there are a couple of videos of young Leonardo DiCaprio being silly and adorable. You’re welcome.