Haley Graham is forced to return to the regimented world of gymnastics after a run-in with the law. Enrolled in an elite gymnastics program run by the legendary Burt Vickerman, Haley's rebellious attitude gives way to something that just might be called team spirit.
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.
7M Pictures
November 05, 2006
Stick It was not made for fat, bald guys in their mid-30s. So is it a big surprise that I didn't like the movie?
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.
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.
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.
Time Out
October 14, 2006
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.
