In in coming of age storiesy, there's a moment of realization where the protagonist contemplates going back to a simpler time.
Still, for movie director Justin Tipping, there must have been moments of deja vu when shooting the story of a young boy who is attacked over his sneakers. That incident happened to him as well, which he relates to No Hablo Español host Danny Corrales. It's the crucial plot element of his film, "Kicks," set in the gritty streets of Oakland.
Beyond the details of the long-ago trauma, Tipping wanted to use the story to focus on larger ideas of masculinity and materialism.