Director Jessica Bendinger is unable to transfer her winning Bring It On formula to the world of gymnastics, despite Missy Peregrym's strong lead performance.
Director Jessica Bendinger is unable to transfer her winning Bring It On formula to the world of gymnastics, despite Missy Peregrym's strong lead performance.
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Average Rating: 3.5/5
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A cocky teenager learns some important lessons about playing by her own rules in this comedy drama. Haley Graham (Missy Peregrym) is a gifted 17-year-old gymnast with a strong rebellious streak -- strong enough that she walked away from her teammates on the eve of a major international tournament because she'd had enough of the rigid regimentation of Team U.S.A. After experiencing a scrape with the law with her extreme-cycling friends, Haley is given an unusual sentence -- attending the
Vickerman Gymnastics Academy, a world-class training facility run by Burt Vickerman (Jeff Bridges), who has led some of the world's greatest gymnasts to championship status. Haley makes no secret of her dislike of life at Vickerman's, and her fellow athletes aren't about to forgive her just yet for letting down her teammates. But while Vickerman makes clear things are to be done his way, he respects Haley's talent, and together she shows him and her new teammates how to follow the rules while still expressing your individuality. Also starring Tarah Paige and Vanessa Lengies, Stick It was the first directorial credit for Jessica Bendinger, who wrote the critically praised teen comedy Bring It On. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
I love Jeff Bridges, but watching him mumble and stumble his way through this part, I wondered if maybe he was up before a judge who gave him two choices -- jail or starring in a really bad gymnastics movie.
It's a credit to [writer/director] Bendinger's attention to the little details that make Stick It feel so unique and entertaining -- poking fun at elite-level child athletics while still respecting its young characters and their feelings.
A message of competitive independence permeates debut director Jessica Bendinger's spunky movie about Haley Graham (Missy Peregrym) a headstrong gymnast-disguised-as-rebel who learns to embrace her talents by way of careful coaching from Jeff Bridges.
Like most sports movies, Stick It has a message: Unless they're equipped with loads of sass-back and a pile of band T-shirts that announce their hardcoreness, female gymnasts are really, really stupid.
'This sport is a total joke!' fumes the spunky gymnast heroine of Stick It, a sentiment that will be shared by anyone who wastes their hard-earned on this silly teen comedy.
Missy Peregrym is a real find - she gives an energetic, funny and extremely physical performance, to the point where you feel exhausted just watching her.
Star Missy Peregrym shows more promise in her first feature, despite the fact that her teenage years are clearly behind her, and her charismatic screen presence enlivens an otherwise dull film.
This little seen teen comedy is excellent. Jeff Bridges and Missy Peregrym put on a good show and the gymnastics is amazing at times. Real gymnasts are throughout the movie like co-star Maddie Curly, a UNC Tarheel All American Gymnast. If you havent seen this movie do yourself a favor and watch it. Its well worth the
time.
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