Stick It

Herald rating: * *

From screenwriter and director Jessica Bendinger, of the surprisingly smart and sassy cheerleading comedy Bring It On, comes Stick It, a similar sports-based teen flick which questions the integrity of women's gymnastics.

There are no Duffs or Lohans here. Jeff Bridges, starring as an ex-gymnastic star-turned-coach Burt Vickerman, is probably the only name you will recognise among the cast. Big screen newcomer Missy Peregrym makes an impression as 17-year-old teen hero Haley Graham and is a standout among a cast of young actresses whose ability to look good in a leotard overrides their acting skills.

Graham is a tough tomboy struggling with conformity and rebelling against her separated parents. While racing around the streets on a BMX with her homies, a run-in with the cops sees her appear in court, and facing either military or gymnastics school. Against her wishes, she's sent to gym school.

You see, Graham was one of the country's top young gymnasts until, at a crucial moment, she choked and walked out on her team and the competition at the "Worlds".

Not the most popular girl in the sport (she's known as "Pariah Carey"), she's sent to Burt Vickerman's Gymnastics Academy, where she stirs things up among her obedient class mates.

Stick It has plenty of attitude, teen colloquialisms, and a racy soundtrack, but turning gymnastic routines into a choreographed music video isn't enough to keep this movie pumping along. What starts out as a fun teen flick suddenly turns into a film with a grudge.

Bendinger appears to have a chip on her shoulder, as she repeatedly focuses on overly pushy mums and the inconsistent and archaic competition judging system, to the detriment of a comedy already short on laughs.

The fun teen flick with a message doesn't fly quite as well as it did with Bring it On, but if you're a female between the ages of 10 and 16, you will love it.

Cast: Missy Peregrym, Vanessa Lengies, Jeff Bridges, Nikki SooHoo, Maddy Curley
Director: Jessica Bendinger
Running time: 105 mins
Rating: PG, coarse language
Screening: Village, Hoyts, Berkeley
Verdict: If you're a female between the ages of 10 and 16, you're going to love it