"Essentially a devastating coming of age odyssey, and a morally complex one built on painful lessons, the gripping “Kicks” deconstructs the desire to be a man in contrast to what true manhood actually requires. Moreover, Tipping’s bold and meditative drama with its reflective moods and streetwise grime has delivered one of the best feature-length debuts of 2016 and one of the best films of the year, period."

“Shocking, Raw, Remarkable.”

“What Tipping masters perfectly in the film is the constant ebb and flow of humor, and darkness.”

“Can movies like KICKS usher in the next wave of Spike Lees?”

“A debut of undeniable promise.”

"With Kicks, which hits theaters in September, a new class of Bay Area filmmakers is crystallizing for the first time in a long time. There hasn’t really been one to boast of since George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola followed the counterculture to San Francisco in 1969"

“Kicks is a funny, touching and street-smart coming-of-age dramedy that oozes with style.”

“Tipping constructs a lyrical atmosphere that suggests Terrence Malick for the Hip-Hop set.”

“Joseph Campbell meets DOPE in Justin Tipping’s exhilarating debut.”

“A powerful exploration of the cultural importance of sneakers, how aggression and masculine pride often go hand in hand, and the endless cycle of violence in the inner city.”

What Getting Beat Up Taught Me About Being a Man

Justin Tipping’s Directorial Debut Follows Young Man’s Pursuit Of His ‘Kicks’

Justin Tipping’s directorial debut ‘Kicks’ asks why masculinity is synonymous with violence