Chicks with Sticks

Threadbare story replete with stock characters & aimless direction, exemplified by the chaotic shooting & editing of all of the hockey scenes.

#nitrosMovieChallenge.

Watched "Chicks" last night on MovieCentral. This is leagues beyond the appalling "Men With Brooms" and smacks of hockey love and dressing-room-stink authenticity. You can almost hear Margot Kidder's false teeth clack with conviction! I found the mix of hand-held camera verite and the small town Alberta cinematography to be intoxicating. People who slag off Canadian movies should have a look at this unpretentious gem. I hope it comes out on DVD soon. It makes no apologies for its' setting or characters and is obviously filmed miles away from any studios. I'm amazed this got the financial go-ahead to proceed to film, though I doubt it played at any actual theaters except those within the legendary "200 mile radius" of Calgary.

This was a very predictable, almost boring sports movie with a 'girls vs. guys' theme. Jason Priestly's character was a token...just a way to get some 'star' power in this low-budget made-for-Canadian-TV movie. There were references to 'betting' on the game, but there were never any scenes of anyone actually betting. There were 'accusations' of the 'Felli' character 'padding' the score, but nothing beyond a casual mention. The money raised by the ladies' team was supposedly absconded with, but there was never any resolution regarding the final disposition of the supposedly stolen funds. Lots of holes in the plot. Lots of unresolved issues. Not a terribly unpleasant way to spend an hour and a half on a rainy weekday afternoon when I am laid off my construction job because of inclement weather.

Chicks with sticks is the story of a bet: a hockey team of women against a hockey of men.In the history of sports there are some interesting stories of challenge: woman against,por example the famous victory of Billie Jean King over Bobby Riggs in 1973.But let's come back to Canada.Chicks with sticks is an independent Canadian movie .It's a pleasant, entertaining and funny story with a little touch de suspense,because the chicks have only some days for training and build a team. I enjoyed very much the performances of Jessalyn Gilsig and Peter Outerbridge in this comedy. PS. For the soccer fans there are two films with the same title : F.C Venus, one Finnish and the other German (remake) about women playing soccer against men as consequence of a challenge.

Paula (Jessalyn Gilsig) is a single mother of a young son, fresh from an extremely painful divorce. She barely makes enough money to cover her bills in a small town in Alberta, Canada, and she may be seeking a buyer for her home. But, as for men, she has no use for them anymore. That is, until the day she visits a local watering hole and gets a challenge she can't resist. You see, Paula was once a fine female hockey player and she came close to making the Olympic team. But, the men's team of the area can't resist making fun of her and they ask if she would be willing to risk money on a female team, of her choice, in a future hockey match against the boys. Against all reason, she says yes. While getting her gals assembled, Paula meets a local man (Jason Priestley) who may be able to turn the key of her chastity belt. But, its hockey first. Can Paula win the slapshot battle of the sexes? This is a cute little romcom, nothing spectacular, but quite a pleasant couple of hours. Obviously, its a Canadian film with stars unfamiliar to most, except for Priestley. Nevertheless, they all charm the audience. Settings, costumes, story and direction are only slightly above average but the film still succeeds for those ever-thirsty romantic comedy fans. If you are one of those, like me, try to get your hands on this one. You may have to look for it under the title Hockey Mom, however, for its American distributors have chosen a new name. What a shame, Chicks with Sticks has such possibilities!