女生向前翻 Stick It review by KIM MORGAN

Who knew gymnastics was so counterculture?

I pose this question as a joke, of course, though there's always been something different and, dare I say, weird about female competitive gymnastics. Those hard-nosed, nutty coaches; those girls giving up regular social life for perfecting a bouncy floor routine and running 50 mph towards a pummel horse; those teeny weenie muscle-bound bodies, which often appear stunted from excessive exercise. Gymnastics, though beautiful and inspiring, is definitely not the norm for young, growing girls.
Which is exactly what Jessica Bendinger attempts to tap into and, in the end, bust apart with her directorial debut, Stick It. A teen movie in which the rigid rules of gymnastics will be shaken by a brash but talented outsider, Stick It works its pseudo radical message powder-puff light. Extending a very ladylike middle finger to rules and coaches and controlling parents, the movie is well meaning, but too fluffy to be taken seriously.

But that's part of the point—this isn't Chariots of Fire for heaven's sake, it's a cute, "spunky" comedy about gymnastics. And often, in some of the film's extended and entertaining tumbling sequences, too cute for words. Leading the procession of cuteness is the film's heroine, Haley Graham (Missy Peregrym), a mixed-up teen whose considerable talent for gymnastics has been squandered by rebellious behavior and run-ins with the law. After choking and walking out on the World Championships two years ago (leading her team to lose), she's been, as one gymnast states, a "Pariah Carey." So when a court order forces her to re-enter the sport via the training school of the legendary Burt Vickerman (Jeff Bridges), no one's especially excited to see her.

But her "punk rock" attitude (as seen in her parade of Black Flag, Bad Brains, and Motorhead rock T-shirts), though frustrating to her coach, eventually wins over and influences her teammates. Yearning to express themselves past the rigid, outdated guidelines created by "jealous" gymnastic judges, the gymnasts will turn the third act of the film into a declaration of personal victory.

Though the film's twist is an entertaining jolt to the standard sports story, its vision of integrity over points is executed with a surprising lack of finesse. And though the performances are all likable (Peregrym will be a much bigger star after this picture) and Jeff Bridges is his usual endearing self, the movie often feels forced. Unlike the clever punch of Bendinger's cheerleading comedy, Bring it On (which she wrote), Stick It tries too hard. The film isn't really "sticking it"; it's wearing it—like a tiny T-shirt that says "Girls Kick Ass." How rebellious is that?

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