Here is a film that points out the clichés of its own characters, while at the same time relishing the fact that it is a cliché. Have we reached the point where pointing out the cliché is, itself, cliché? Even if you haven't handed over your hard earned money for a ticket, you've seen this movie, or at least a number of movies just like it. It seems to be happy toeing the line of mediocrity.
I found Stick It to be such a non-event that it is as if it doesn't even exist. That doesn't leave me with much of a jump off point to write about it, but there it is. It is so inoffensive in execution, I have to wonder what the real point of it was. Granted, there are a couple of elements that seem to give more life to the film than it deserves, but it still remains well within the straight and narrow confines of the teen comedy/drama.
Let us set the stage, and if you have seen the commercials, I am sure you already have a good idea of where it's going. The main character gets in trouble with the law, gets sent to an academy she doesn't want to go to (in this case, gymnastics, but that is adjustable to whatever you feel like), she resents being there, and is in return, resented by the rest of the academy students. She has personality conflicts with everybody, but by the time the climax is reached, camaraderie has developed, and the kids show the adults what's what.
Haley Graham (Missy Peregrym) is the heroine of the piece. She is a rebel who walked away from the gymnastics world some years before; she now spends her time doing tricks on BMX bikes rather then uneven bars and mats. You can tell she's a rebel because she wears t-shirts bearing band names like The Ramones and Black Flag. She has a two-fronted attack, led on one end by Joanne (Vanessa Lengies), the prissy team member, who fancies herself the top dog. On the other front, Haley has to deal with the head coach, Burt Vickerman (Jeff Bridges). All of them hit the usual notes. The tough coach, the bitter rival, but by the end, everybody is a friend.
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Article comments
1 - Purple Tigress
As someone who once did gymnastics and loves gymnastics, I was totally turned off by the trailer.
2 - Kate
Personally I loved this movie, It had such a focus on a gymnasts life, I am an elite gymnast in Missouri and this is exsactly what it's like.We have our friendship cliques but the people who aren't in your clique, Everyone is mean. We all hate the gymnastics coach and it seems all he does care about is money and winning and making himself look good. 17-22 hours of the day your at the gym. You can't do anything for fun and it's just a harsh life. But when competition rolls around we do anything we can to make everybody mess up, but when other people win, sure we're mad but we know we were all in this together, I love competition especially when you get to Stick a landing, To stick a landing is to land and remain standing without requiring a step a proper stick postition is with your legs bent shoulders above hips, arms forward. Now sticking consistantly takes regular practice.. which we have a lot of, So ... you just gotta Stick It