Alex is a 16 year-old skater, spending his afternoons with his pal Jared at the inner city skate-park known as Paranoid Park. One evening, when one of the older boys takes Alex under his wing, a tragic accident occurs leaving a security guard dead. Interviewed by the police and misunderstood by his cheerleader girlfriend Jennifer, Alex decides to say nothing, taking on a crushing burden of guilt with huge ramifications.
Innovatively cast over myspace.com, and adapted from Blake Nelson's novel of the same name, Paranoid Park is a searingly truthful study of what it is to be a teenage male in the 21st century. Boasting beautiful cinematography by Australia's own Christopher Doyle and shot in director Gus Van Sant's hometown of Portland, Paranoid Park is a suspenseful, lyrical and stylish tribute to the teenage years.