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Parents' Guide to

Stick It

By Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Gymnasts fall short -- it's no Bring It On.

Movie PG-13 2006 105 minutes
Stick It Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 9+

Based on 5 parent reviews

Nichol B
Nichol B Parent
August 5, 2015
age 11+

Fun movie. Positive messages out-weigh the language use

My kids love gymnastics, so we enjoyed this movie. Just like real life, none of the characters were perfect; but the main characters all learned lessons from each other about team work, not being selfish, working hard/being brave in the face of doubts and harsh critics. I really appreciated the fact that the gymnasts who started at the beginning of the movie as stereotypical "mean girls" (having selfish goals and valuing appearances/beauty over substance) came around at the end of the movie.
merilia
merilia Adult
May 4, 2015
age 12+

Good but bit much language

The language it quite strong for younger viewers. There is some cleavage shown people joke about the jymnists not having boobs and some boys wear dresses in a mall scene some of the people do flips in the dresses of walk around on there hands you can see their underwear. Overall a good movie for teens
See all 5 parent reviews

What's the Story?

STICK IT follows Haley (Missy Peregrym), introduced as she crashes her bike through a house window, whereupon she's arrested. Haley's parents' divorce has been difficult, and she's doing her best to forget her own past in elite gymnastics. The onetime floor exercise star earned the enmity of her fellow competitors and coaches when she walked away from "the Worlds" two years earlier, and now, just when she thought she was out... they pull her back in! As punishment, Haley is sentenced to train with a disgraced coach, Burt Vickerman (Jeff Bridges). Eventually, student and coach learn to appreciate one another's stubbornness, while bringing out each other's morality and compassion. While it's a good thing that Haley is now free of her at-wits-end dad, she now must decide whether to participate in a sport she sees as corrupt (full of petty tensions among competitors and archaic regulations prohibiting creativity). She does, of course, but along the way helps some of her teammates.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5 ):
Kids say (15 ):

Not so sharp or witty as it needs to be, Stick It features appealing performers and a too-little-too-late rousing finale. Revisiting themes better served by Bring It On, the film sets up a familiar tension between rebellion (via Haley) and conformity (the old-school, restrictive gymnastics establishment).

Haley's journey is hampered by awkward plotting, unnecessary characters, and some inexplicable editing. That said, the girls' flips and vaults are often dazzling, as are the film's superbright look and a couple of overlap-editing sequences, showing the routine of training as well as the hard work involved. But Jessica Bendinger's movie takes too long to get to the showdown/point and makes poor use of the ever-cool Bridges.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about "teenage rebellion": How can this typical situation be a healthy experience, offering opportunities for kids and adults to learn from each other? How does Haley's anger at her parents initially block her ability to work with her teammates and coach? How might gymnastics, which involves judges' subjective assessments, be changed to make it fairer for competitors?

Movie Details

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