Stick it is a fun movie to watch with teenagers, especially if they are interested in sports and have lived through the arduous work-outs of gymnastics.
The main character, Haley Graham, beautifully played by Missy Peregrym, is a troubled teen who walked out of a competition because her family was coming apart, but her friends think she simply quit, giving up her right to win first place. A rather amazing pirouette on a bike lands her in trouble with the police, and she is sentenced by a judge to either go to juvenile detention or to a gymnastics camp, and she soon finds herselfe under the tutelage of Burt Vickerman, played by Jeff Bridges, a trainer that is tough, demanding, will take nothing from her, and sees through her every manipulation.
Burt Vickerman has the reputation of getting all his students injured, but as he says... "he has insurance to cover it." A love hate relationship is evident between coach and gymnast and soon we see Haley training to her potential, which is excellent. The other gymnasts are excellent characters, with some routines leaving us spell bound by their grace and aptitude. The battle between coach and student, between coach and judges, between a system of judging that leaves audiences upset by their lack of fairness are awesome. Don't miss this movie!