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Parents' Guide to

The Gabby Douglas Story

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Strong positive messages in otherwise rote athlete biopic.

Movie NR 2014 86 minutes
The Gabby Douglas Story Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

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age 9+

Based on 1 parent review

Mixyplixl
Mixyplixl Adult
October 22, 2014
age 9+

Inspiring true story, mostly well-done if a bit cliched

Gabby Douglas overcame great odds to become America's gymnastic sweetheart. This Lifetime drama does a great job overall and I think is very compelling to kids, with a winning performance by the actress playing Gabby - and with Gabby herself doing the stunts. I don't know why CM rated as 12 and up - but there are some difficult family situations in the beginning - with financial hardships resulting in near homelessness and the mom needing to take the kids and leave the non-working father. Younger kids may be bored by the length of time it takes for the gymnastics part of the story to develop. There is also the classic Lifetime melodrama, with some events being a little overdramatized and predictable.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In 2012, Gabby Douglas made history by becoming the first woman of color to win individual all-around champion at the summer Olympics. THE GABBY DOUGLAS STORY shows us how she got there, despite long odds. Young Gabby (played by actresses Imani Hakim, Sydney Mikayla, and Gabby herself at different stages) was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder at infancy, and was so tiny and weak her family feared for her life. But the small girl grew and thrived under the care of her three loving siblings and tough, strong single mom (Regina King). When she showed a talent for gymnastics, her family scrimped and saved and found a way to have her coached. They even stuck it out when Gabby moved a thousand miles away to Iowa to train with her dream coach for the Olympics. We already know how the story ends, but what'll inspire young viewers is how determined Gabby Douglas was to succeed.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (2 ):

The Gabby Douglas Story has just exactly the rhythm of an episode of Behind the Music. We meet our young protagonist, see the spark of talent and the flush of success, then obstacles are introduced, bringing our heroine down for a time, until she triumphs to the sound of soaring horns and bells.

The big-win-at-the-end formula is a predicatble one, but The Gabby Douglas Story is not without its charms, namely a palpable sweetness in the way Regina King's character rears her family with love yet strict firmness. Young viewers who watch the onscreen Gabby talking over her problems with her brother and sisters as they all do the dinner dishes together, and hear Gabby in voiceover repeating nuggets of her mom's wisdom will receive a potent positive message: Douglas' strong family bonds (and a whole lot of hard work) is what ultimately helped her triumph. Young athletes, particularly young gymnasts, will soak up the story of a girl "with a dream so big it'll eat you alive if it doesn't come true," even if parents find the goings-on a bit by-the-numbers.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the real-life Gabby Douglas. Are there parts of her life that this film does not depict? Why would that be? Are Douglas' flaws and weaknesses seen in this movie as well as her strengths?

  • After this movie, do you admire Gabby Douglas? Do you think you are meant to? What about the way The Gabby Douglas Story characterizes its heroine brings you to this conclusion?

  • Does The Gabby Douglas Story make becoming an Olympic gymnast look fun? Glamorous? Hard? Do you think this take on the lifestyle is accurate? Does the movie make you more interested in gymnastics? Or less?

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