THE PLOT THUS FAR
The story of the international gymnastics phenomenon who overcame overwhelming odds to become the first African American ever to be named Individual All-Around Champion in artistic gymnastics at the Olympic Games.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“The Gabby Douglas Story” is pretty sanctimonious. But, it’s honest in a way that we rarely get to see for Olympians. Sure, the 70s and 80s were all about turning every athletic yahoo into a source of American pride. However, that started to dwindle over time. What’s amazing is that spirit never seemed to leave female gymnastics. Every four years, America turns to the flexible girls of the nation to twist and flop in a way that will make us proud of their young innocence. I’ve got to say that I was a fan of the Fierce Five.
Too much of the film focused on Douglas’s mother. Don’t get me wrong, as Regina King is a fine actress. But, it felt like her mother was henpecking the production and trying to split focus. If that wasn’t enough, it doesn’t hurt that every time Regina King speaks, I hear Huey and Riley Freeman. The little time that we got with Gabby Douglas was great, but the focus should’ve remained on her struggles and triumphs. I don’t care about her mother. Sure, she had a big hand in everything, but she wasn’t the Olympian. Will this film ever be fondly remembered? I can’t say, but it will probably remain an inspiration for young gymnasts everywhere. They do need a movie that isn’t “American Anthem”.
The DVD comes with no special features. The A/V Quality is pretty strong. The transfer is clean, but the Dolby track doesn’t get a ton of back channel support. Ultimately, it’s a pretty standard Lifetime movie sent to DVD. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to the curious.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!