Review of Stick It

Introduction

Going by the teen rebellion pictured on the cover, you could be forgiven for thinking that `Stick It` is something of a crude invitation. In fact it refers to the necessity for gymnasts to get a perfect, flawless landing each time, lest crucial points be deducted from their score. Yes, Stick It is a movie about gymnastics, although don`t stop reading just yet. I was sceptical too, not least because gymnastics isn`t a sport that I pay much attention to. After all it doesn`t seem at all fair, a sport where you`re over the hill by the time you are twenty, a sport where you may put together the most amazing sequence of somersaults, twists and jumps, then get marked down because a toe twitched during the landing, a sport where pushy parents make you sacrifice your childhoods to compete in. I`ve seen news reports from Chinese boot camps where children are put through tortures that Amnesty International would balk at, all in the name of Olympic success. Don`t get me started on the TV commentators, who all sound like aged asthmatics that would have you calling for the police if you received a phone call from them. On reflection, the cutthroat world of gymnastics seems ill suited to a PG rated teen flick. Perhaps Michael Moore should do an expose.

Haley Graham is a former world-class gymnast, who threw her career away in the middle of the World Championships by walking out, leaving Team US to crash and burn. Now she is a grungy rebel who enjoys extreme sports with her friends. One BMX trick too many leaves her in the capable hands of the law, who offer her a choice between military academy and an elite gymnastics school. You know how it is; you ask for one thing and get another. Vickerman`s Gymnastics Academy in Houston was once renowned for turning out world-class gymnasts. Now it is in something of a slump, turning out more injuries than competitors. Burt Vickerman is as stubborn as Haley, and despite her hard-nosed refusal to conform, she begins to rediscover her love of the sport. She also learns that some things haven`t changed.

Video

What`s there to say about a recent film transferred to DVD? Studios have no excuse to get these things wrong nowadays, and indeed Stick It gets a crystal clear 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer. I could nitpick a smidgen of aliasing, or a brief moment of softness, but then I`d be just as petty as a gymnastics judge. As for spectacle, with all the gymnastics on show, as well as brief burst of extreme sports at the start, the decent transfer is all the more appreciated.

Audio

The specifications on the case list a whole bevy of audio and subtitle languages, but all that was on the disc was a DD 5.1 English track with English subtitles and HOH captions. It`s the sort of difference that makes me wonder if I got the rental version to review, but as there are no extra features on either, it really doesn`t matter (Unless you`re European).

The surround is put to good use, especially for the rawk soundtrack that appears obligatory for these films. It is a nice soundtrack too, with a decent selection of songs to liven up the proceedings. But, like all modern films, it appears that the music is more important than the dialogue, which can get buried under a moment of excessive bass.

Features

As mentioned, this section is akin to a tumbleweed-frequented desert. There are a couple of skippable trailers at the start of the disc, and the anti-piracy warning is printed on paper and slipped inside the Amaray case, just as it should be.

Given the graceful gymnastics, excellent choreography and what must have been backbreaking stunt work, this disc really needed some extra features. It`s a shame that there aren`t any.

Conclusion

Words I never thought I`d write… I really enjoyed this gymnastics movie, and I`m not even the target audience. Ok, it is clichéd, but they are called clichés for a reason. And when they come together as well as they do in Stick It, then the result is a feel good movie that will appeal to a wide audience. We have the rebellious underdog, who gets one final chance at redemption. We have the gruff, sarcastic coach with a soft heart. We have the cutthroat finale, where we learn that winning isn`t as important as achieving your best. It`s Rocky with back-flips. Add to that the broken family, the pushy mothers, and the evil judges, then the feeling is pervasive that it`s all been done before.

What makes this interesting is that it is gymnastics, which means that instead of fists flying, and teeth being knocked out, we have grace, poise, elegance, and the sort of moves that Yuen Woo Ping would be rigging wires for. It`s also a teen comedy, which means there is plenty to raise a chuckle or two. Most of the laughs are from the interpersonal relationships, although there is the odd slapstick moment. The actual gymnastics, and the overall story are given a degree of seriousness that is usually lacking from similar movies, and the film is stronger for it.

The characters are all well drawn, Haley is the typical teen rebel, but Missy Peregrym infuses some individuality and sassiness, as well as evoking some sympathy. The joy of the film has to Haley`s erstwhile nemesis Joanne, whose intelligence may be lacking, but it doesn`t dim her determination to fire off those snappy comebacks. I`m slightly disappointed by Jeff Bridges as coach Vickerman, who despite a splendid Patton homage for an entrance, plays the role a little understated and too generic. The positive thing is that the characters all grow through the film, and while there are differences and arguments among the girls, there is no real good guy bad guy dynamic to roll your eyes at. The only villains in this film are the pushy parents and the evil, evil judges. And as we know in every good kids movie, it`s the authority figures that must be defeated.

On a personal note, I`m sad to announce that I had to use subtitles in this film. Nothing to do with my hearing mind you, it`s just that there were moments that I needed the teen-speak translated for me. That never used to happen with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I`m getting old!

Stick It is a feel good movie for all the family, with sympathetic characters and an entertaining story. If a cynic like me can enjoy it, then it`s easy to recommend.