Gym-nice-tics is about to become the new cheer-ocracy.
“Stick It,” is a new movie about gymnastics that enlightens the audience about the pressure gymnasts face when dealing with their physical condition as well as their relationships with their team and their coach. “Stick It” is written by the same people who wrote the cheerleading movie “Bring It On” and shares a similar type of humor.
Haley Graham, played by Missy Peregrym, is a former gymnastic champion who mysteriously left the World Gymnastic Champions when the United States was about to win. The next year she becomes a delinquent and is sent to a gymnastic academy to stop her evil ways.
While Haley is at the academy she learns a lot about life and herself. This is not only shown through her attitude but also through other changes in her life. The audience is able to see how much brighter and open she becomes through this transformation.
Coach Burt Vickerman, played by Jeff Bridges, realizes something special in Haley and helps her to become a better person. Their relationship demonstrates how people need guidance, which might not always come from a parent.
Haley’s two male best friends seem as if they are going to be silly and annoying. However, their characters are endearing and bring humor to the movie. They show how males and females can have special relationships that are purely platonic.
The antagonist in the movie is Joanne, played by Vanessa Lengies. She is another gymnast in the academy competing with Haley for the coach’s affection. In her role, she plays someone very stupid. However, she comes across as a funny character because every time she talked the audience laughed out loud.
The movie shows how hard it is to be a gymnast. The girls are in peak physical condition. Haley said in the movie that the Navy SEALs are wimps compared to gymnasts. The girls do handstand pushups, flips and walk on their hands, along with many more strenuous exercises.
The actual cinematography in some parts of the movie is similar to the “Matrix.” The images show the girls doing gymnastic moves and are put together to look like a kaleidoscope. The kaleidoscope demonstrates how precise each move needs to be in gymnastics.
The movie is about the significance of a role model. It focuses on how people often get lost because they have no one to look up to. The message in “Stick It” is not only about the physical benefits of being involved in sports. It also teaches the audience about how athletes must work together and have respect for one another.
A common characteristic among chick-flicks is the inevitable love interest; however, “Stick It” does not feel the need to succumb to the pressures of a stereotypical girly movie. Instead, this movie tries to deliver a deeper message.
