STICK IT

It's a dark day when you're too old to smile at a girl who just wants to get out of her 'tard.

My enjoyment of the Bring it On movies led me to believe that Stick It would be right up my alley, but as the film opened, I had a major Danny-Glover-in-Lethal-Weapon moment. All I could think was, "I'm too old for this sh*t". I squirmed in my seat as a group of kids rode their bikes, or skateboards, or whatever to the tune of loud, generic music, and then crashed through the window of a newly constructed home. This sort of stuff made me feel old and straight-laced when I actually was fifteen. How can I be expected to relate now that I'm pushing thirty? But then the tide turned, Jeff Bridges showed up, and Stick It morphed into a classic feel-good movie.

After her run-in with the law, Haley Graham (Missy Peregrym) is given an ultimatum. She can either spend time in Juvenile Hall, or enroll in an elite gymnastics academy. By this point, Haley would far prefer Juvie, but her parents push her back into the cutthroat world of gymnastics. Soon she's training under Burt Vickerman (Jeff Bridges) with the same ultra-competitive girls she grew up with.

Though she is forced to do her time at the academy, Haley could care less about "sticking" her landings or doing perfect routines. She's seen the dark side of this sport, and she can think of somewhere else for Burt and his minions to stick it. Relationships are ruined and childhoods are lost as pushy mothers vie for a chance to see their daughters in the Olympics, and the qualities that make a good gymnast (obedience, blind ambition...extreme flexibility) do not always make a good person. Even Burt is in it for the money, and for the right price, he'll pass out false hope like Halloween candy. No wonder Haley walked away at the peak of her athletic career.

When the girls make it to the finals, they begin to see that they are sacrificing their youth for a sport that is judged arbitrarily and where effort seldom equals reward. Suddenly friends, boys, proms, and shopping trips look a lot better than days spent at the gym and evenings spent in a tub full of ice. Following Haley's lead, the girls begin thinking for themselves and venturing outside their sheltered world. They band together to "stick it" to the judges, and achieve a moral victory worth far more than any medal. Even Burt proves that he's more than a greedy wash-up as competition turns to camaraderie.

Though Stick It will undoubtedly be more popular with kids than adults, viewers of any age can appreciate its good humor and positive message. As always, Jeff Bridges is laid back and likable, and I found myself getting all sniffy as the girls came into their own and stuck it to everyone. It's a dark day when you're too old to smile at a girl who just wants to get out of her 'tard. Um, that's short for leotard, you know.