Backwards

Excellent movie and great timing after the Olympics! I was excited to see a movie focusing on woman's sports for a change! Its great to send this message to little girls to get involved in sports and know they can be leaders. As everyone goes through a crossroads in their lives, I thought the movie portrayed a real life look at the decision making process in that and ultimately, trying to find happiness. The acting was great! I thought the rowing scenes were beautiful. What a great setting for a movie! I listened to a few interviews with the actors and was impressed to hear more about rowing and how difficult of a sport that it is to pick up. This movie is for anyone looking for a feel-good inspirational movie! I am happy to recommend this movie as it is appropriate for all audiences and can especially be inspiring to women and children. Most important is the lesson to enjoy the journey.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The photography is beautiful and the story is a slice of life I've never seen depicted in a movie before. I've seen lots of movies about athletes coming to terms with real life, but not about the sport of crew. The rowing scenes are worth the price of admission, and all of the rowers are are beautiful to watch. As far as the characters go, the relationship between Abby and her mom started off very realistically and I wish the tension had continued because their story line seemed to drop off with no real resolution. Alysia Reiner is great as Abby's old friend, and I would have liked to see more of her. It's nice to see a movie where there is no gratuitous nudity or sex scenes.

Being privileged to see this film before its release, I can't wait for the premiere.

Sarah Megan Thomas, (author, producer AND star), and James Van Der Beek give excellent performances. Glenn Morshower (nice to see him in something other than military garb), is wonderful as the Olympic Coach. The entire supporting cast did a great job.

Being a "Philly" native, I really enjoyed the portrayal of this beautiful city. The rowing sequences are amazing!

Exceptional work in the filming, acting and directing (Ben Hickernell).

The film gives insight into what it means to be part of a winning team, the good and the bad. You will love it whether or not you are into rowing. It's a great story.

This is one not to be missed!

I have never been a big sports film person, but this one is very exceptional. A wonderful feel good film not just about the sport, but about how sometimes what we think we want may not bring us the most joy.

There are fantastic performances. James Van Der Beek is so charming as usual, and so impressed with Sarah Megan Thomas, who wrote, produced and stars!

The whole supporting cast is excellent: the delightful Alysia Reiner, David Alan Basche, Margaret Collin and the fantastic Glenn Morshower is awesome as the Olympic coach.

The film is beautiful to watch, the rowing sequences are breathtaking. Makes you want to row! Where can we see it? Is it doing festivals now? Hope this one is coming to a theater near all of us soon. Very soon!

I really love sports movies - who doesn't? - the struggle, the competition, the training, the lift, and drama with that is great too. But Backwards is well-named, it really does have the genre backwards - it is mostly a snooze fest. I've rowed a lot and it is gruelling, tough, and ridiculous when it comes to how fit you have to be - don't really get that from this - it's too placid, inactive, and, honestly, frankly dull.

I cannot recommend this on any level- the script is dull, the plot both clichéed and weak, but really it's the acting that lets this down most - neither lead has any charisma at all, they both just are there.

All in all, this is a film that had a good idea to make a sports movie about rowers, like Varsity Blues, but fails to translate that passion into the script or up to the screen.