Fast Girls

This 91 minutes Chariots of Fire wannabe rises above its obvious cinema 'warts' and wins a gold for fun, fast entertainment. The fictional drama of a struggling UK relay team approaching a world championship race offers realistic action and lots of cliché drama. Elements of Chariots of Fire and Rocky abound and yet the cast, young, energetic and obviously devoted to the project create the necessary realism on the field if not off.

Shania seeks to escape the trappings of her ghetto London neighborhood although the race card can not be played when three of the four team members are black. This brings us to the ever lovely California blond looking Lisa. Lisa is refreshing, rich and nasty. The latter no doubt related to her over bearing, domineering father, himself an ex-medal winner and very well played by veteran actor Rupert Graves.

The film keeps us close to the real action, running! The final race score, Starlight by Matt Cardle (see the YouTube music videos) was spot on and a perfect match for the haunting action. The mix of slow motion, action and one nice overhead shot enhanced the final key scene. Will the girl from the wrong side of the tracks grab the gold ring? If you want to see the films much higher ratings check out its 82% critics and 65% audience at Rotten Tomatoes. This entertaining feel good sports movie deserves a wide audience. Give it a shot. Most likely you will be glad you did. Aside from all else be sure to watch and enjoy the final world championship race!

It is a lot of years now since I was last in a "proper" nightclub but I do remember my years working in work and feeling part of the places in a way that my mid-30's self really doesn't now. Anyway, at their best a club is loud with appropriate music (maybe not great music, but music that works in that context) and it creates a sense of feeling good and shared enjoyment that is quite a thing – people look good, nobody is self-conscious about their terrible dancing and generally people are enjoying themselves despite the fact that the night will probably not leave them with too much beyond the moment.

So, why am I talking about this? Well to me this film reminded me of that experience, even more so given that the spirit of the Olympics was still resonating around the UK. The film follows an athlete who is from the wrong side of the tracks and has limited resources but yet manages to make it onto the Great Britain team; challenges come in the personal and professional type, but can she overcome? Well of course the answer is pretty obvious and so goes the film because this is a product that is marketed to clearly hit a vein of Olympics fever. As a film it is pretty basic; I'm pretty sure that if you sped up all the slow-mo bits that it would run to 60 minutes, not 90, and that if you took out all the scenes that had recent UK pop music over it then it would probably be only half that again. However, it still works for what it is – a "of its time" feel good movie.

The film mostly focuses on low level set pieces, whether they be heavily sound tracked racing action or just generic social drama background – it is all filmed the same way; superficially and without heart. Indeed this is the core of the film – heartless and superficial; the characters don't ever appear as people, the scenarios are never fleshed out beyond the level of wallpaper and the film itself is keen to exist on this very simple level. In this regard it is of course weak – it never draws the viewer in but what it does do is provide simple stimuli in the construction. As a result the race is still engaging, the plot is still simply effective and it works. The cast are part of this as they play natural despite their paper thin characters and motivations. Crichlow leads the cast well – when the script gives her a little bit to work with she does it well, otherwise she is solid enough to carry it. James is not as good – a problem since she carries the weight for the tension; she doesn't convince and neither does that element of the plot. The supporting cast are generic but Graves, Benjamin, Burroughs and others do the job well enough for this. Clarke gets his face in again while Bradley James is good-looking at least.

Overall this film works as a simple crowd-pleaser but this is not to suggest that it has any merit beyond the superficial, because it doesn't. The soundtrack is as important as the cast and, while they do a decent job, the script never does more than provide wallpaper to the style and "feel" of the film. It does still work in the way that an ugly person looks good in the drunken euphoria of a nightclub – but, while it is fun in the moment, you don't want to be waking up next to this film.

Fast Girls is a movie you've probably stumbled across and never heard about that brings a ton of heart to the world of sports dramas. This film follows two young British sprinters from very different backgrounds as they struggle to put aside their differences and come together to compete in the relay race of their lives. It's not only a story about athletic ambition, but also one of friendship, resilience, and the power of unity.

Lenora Crichlow and Lily James lead a cast that's both talented and charming, making you root for them right from the start. Their chemistry-at times tense, at times endearing-brings a realistic edge to the highs and lows of competitive sport. The training montages are thrilling, and the race sequences really pull you in, making you feel every bit of tension and adrenaline that these athletes experience.

The movie shines brightest when it's highlighting the grit and determination of women who refuse to be underestimated. Fast Girls may not reinvent the sports drama genre, but it certainly stands out with its empowering message and focus on women athletes, which still feels refreshing. The pacing is quick, and while it might be a bit predictable, it's hard not to get swept up in the excitement and emotion.

If you're a fan of feel-good sports movies with a strong focus on teamwork and resilience, Fast Girls will leave you cheering by the end!

Good writing and acting. the characters they portray seem like real people,like the ones you know. I enjoyed this but the ending but typical.

I didn't have high hopes for this film before I went to see it because I thought it was just going to be predictable. But it was amazing! You really connect with the main character through her athletic career and you are on the edge of your seat in the races. I went to see it with a couple of friends just for a day out and we came out of the cinema very happy - much happier than expected! As Fast Girls is just out at the cinema, it hasn't got a review yet on IMDb and I was unsure whether to see it, as I usually only see a film that is 7 or above. I think that this film is well worth at least an 8! Comedy, the Olympics and a little bit of romance... what more could you want?