Common Sense Media Review
By Emily Ashby
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sequel to popular romantic comedy falls flat.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold
What's the Story?
As the talented daughter of Olympic medalists Kate Moseley-Dorsey (Stepfanie Kramer) and Doug Dorsey (Scott Thompson Baker), Jackie (Christy Carson Romano) has her sights set on adding an individual ice skating title to her parents' pairs one. But then a tragic fall halts her plans just months before nationals, and she's left to re-evaluate how she can get back to top form and achieve her goal. When Jackie's chance encounter with extreme in-line skater Alex (Ross Thomas) leads to their joining forces on the ice, the pair must overcome more than inexperience to make it to the Olympics. As competition looms, Jackie and Alex find their uncertain romance puts their skating relationship out of synch, and they struggle to find harmony on and off the ice.
Is It Any Good?
Sadly, this sub-par sequel does little justice to its parent movie, the popular early '90s romantic comedy The Cutting Edge. The plot is so thoroughly recycled that anyone familiar with the tale's first go-round will have little difficulty predicting the story's development -- right down to the placement of replays of memorable scenes, impossible stunts on the ice, and buzzwords like "toe-pick." And while the main characters are obviously cast as duplicates of the original duo, Jackie and Alex are more obnoxious than endearing in their ongoing power struggle.
But that's not all. Between the tense twists of a love triangle and the beach scenes with scantily clad girls and shirtless surfer guys, it's obvious this movie is geared toward teens, but parents have good reason to be wary of the messages it sends. Alcohol is common in many scenes, strong language is unnecessarily frequent, and there are multiple allusions to sex (including lewd lyrics about shaking a booty in someone's face), and nudity includes a full-length shot of a man's backside. To top it off, Jackie fills the role of ice princess a little too well, coming across as spoiled, demanding, and egocentric. She takes for granted her doting parents, who reward her rude behavior with expensive gifts. All in all, these aren't the best role models.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the media can influence viewers' impressions of appropriate behavior. What messages about relationships, drinking, and sexuality did this movie evoke? Were they positive or negative by your own standards? Why is irresponsibility often presented in a positive way in entertainment? Are morals often sacrificed for the sake of entertainment value? Do you think questionable content is designed to intentionally send negative messages to its audience? Are you affected by what you see on TV and in the movies? How so?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 7, 2006
- On DVD or streaming : December 19, 2023
- Cast : Ross Thomas , Stepfanie Kramer
- Director : Sean McNamara
- Studio : Sony Pictures
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Competition , Friendship , Sports ( Hockey , Olympics , Tennis )
- Run time : 98 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : sexual situations, nudity and language.
- Last updated : September 3, 2025
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