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Critics Consensus: Roll Bounce dazzles us with a classic late 1970's feel, but this coming of age film could have been more than just a spin around the roller rink.
Critic Consensus: Roll Bounce dazzles us with a classic late 1970's feel, but this coming of age film could have been more than just a spin around the roller rink.
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All Critics (90) | Top Critics (31) | Fresh (58) | Rotten (32) | DVD (5)
Sometimes a film wins you over with its sheer exuberance and sweetness.
It will remind you what it was like to be a teenager during the last few days of summer. And even though the plot is a little thin, you probably won't even notice until long after the music stops.
The end of the dismal summer movie season couldn't have been blessed with a more satisfying coda than the rollicking, funny, relentlessly cheery and genuinely touching spirit that makes Roll Bounce a captivating delight from start to finish.
A movie made in the spirit of: what the world needs now is a bit of innocent diversion.
If it doesn't exactly kick out the jams, it does move them around a little bit.
The film can't get its rhythms right, fluctuating wildly between comedy and pathos.
For the most part though, the honesty of the performances keeps everything afloat when it could drift into easy sentimentality.
I enjoyed it in all its cheesiness.
For some reason, teasing people about their skin color has become a big theme of brainless black comedies like this. Plus, it unfolds like one long Pepsi ad, with dialogue extolling the cola's virtues in virtually every scene.
Worthy of a 99-cent rental, if only so you can witness the howlingly awful performance by Wesley Jonathan as a self-appointed roller-disco mega-lord called "Sweetness." Kid had me in tears, I swear.
Nothing about this film is as cathartic as it tries to make itself because the characters just aren't that absorbing. Instead of tugging your heart, it just spits in your eye.
This is the 40th "skating movie" to hit the screens since Charlie Chaplin's The Rink (1915). It is neither the best nor the worst of them - skater dudes may think its cool, but 25 years ago there was the much maligned Xanadu with ELO, ONJ and (sigh!) stil
At times, "Roll Bounce" feels a bit silly, but at it's core, it'a about a family in harsh times, as they see everyone around them having a good time. As X (Bow Wow) and his friends have faced the final days of their skate rink, they must choose to go over to the rich side of town to skate, where they run into old aquiantences and new rivals! The emotional tone of this film is phenomenal, seeing as this film goes from extremely silly to extremely heartfelt in seconds. I love the 70's feel of this film, it is done perfectly, and the music choices are fun. The direction is done well enough and the acting is very commendable. "Roll Bounce" is a very nice film to watch!
Super Reviewer
I loved the detail in this movie, it really game it a 70's feel. All in all it's a fun film with some good smiles and laughs.
Oh Meagen Good, I melt just seeing your lips, god! This movie was very good and it really made me feel young again. 1970s roller-skate jams fuel this coming-of-age comedy, as X and his friends, who rule their local rink, are shocked when their home base goes out of business. Heading over to the Sweetwater Roller Rink, they find their modest talents are, at first, no competition for their trick skaters and pretty girls who follow their every move.
Somewhat of a corny movie. I watched it on TV because I spent time at our local roller rink as well in the 60's and 70's. It has a formula story-line. Down-trodden kid (Bow Wow) skates off against the uptown team, solving his family and girl problems all in one 90 minute movie.
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