Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Drama is bland but teaches girls about competitive rowing.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Backwards
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Abi Brooks (screenwriter and former rower Sarah Meghan Thomas) has one goal before her upcoming 30th birthday: to make it on the women's Olympic rowing team. But after failing to make the boat for the second Olympics in a row, she gives up her alternate spot and hightails it back to her hometown of Philadelphia, where her mother (Margaret Colin) hopes she'll take a high-paying job. Instead, Abi decides to ask her former sweetheart, Geoff (James Van Der Beek), for a job coaching the girls' rowing team at their high school alma mater. Now a coach, Abi sees particular potential in two girls, Hannah (Alexandra Metz) and Susan (Meredith Apfelbaum), who just need the right kind of guidance to make it to the world-famous Henley Royal Regatta in England.
Is It Any Good?
Part failure-to-launch tale and part inspirational sports film, BACKWARDS is a movie that hinges completely on the performance of its star, and Thomas comes up short. While there's no doubt about her love of rowing (the title is a reference to the fact it's the only sport where you win going "backwards"), she lacks the charisma necessary to pull off such an obvious star vehicle. Not to mention that the film seems to take itself and its protagonist far too seriously. There's no joy (at least out of the water), no humor, no chemistry to speak of -- with Abi's potential love interest, her students, or even her mom.
One of the movie's few memorable scenes is a small but telling moment when a distraught, restless Abi gorges herself on Tootsie rolls, stuffing them in her mouth as if their sticky sweetness can erase the overwhelming sense of failure she feels. There's no dialogue, but the act is a poignant reminder of everything Abi sacrificed to train for four -- really eight -- years, but it still wasn't enough. Eventually Abi's dream comes true, but it comes at a cost she's not willing to pay. Hoosiers or Remember the Titans this isn't, but at least, for once, it's about the ambition of female athletes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why more sports movies seem to concentrate on men/boys than women/girls. Which examples can you think of in both categories?
Did Backwards teach you anything about rowing you didn't know? Does it seem like a sport you'd want to try?
Do you think Abi ultimately made the right decision? Should she have chosen her own dream rather than her students'?
Movie Details
- In theaters : September 21, 2012
- On DVD or streaming : December 11, 2012
- Cast : James Van Der Beek , Margaret Colin , Sarah Megan Thomas
- Director : Ben Hickernell
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Dada Films
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 89 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some mild language
- Last updated : September 20, 2019
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate