Flying

In Buffalo, a former gymnast teen (d'Abo) seeks to get back on the team after recovering from an accident. Will she rise up like a phoenix from the ashes to participate in the regional gymnastics competition in Niagara Falls? Reeves plays her potential beau while Rita Tushingham is on hand as the coach.

Shot in autumn, 1984, but not released until 1986, "Teenage Dream" was originally called "Flying," but is also known as "Dream to Believe" (which was the title card of the version I saw). It's a knockoff of "Flashdance" (1983) albeit with the teenage milieu of "Karate Kid" (1984).

The parallels to "Flashdance" are pretty glaring: Instead of being concerned about auditioning for a dance school, the protagonist is concerned about making the school team. Instead of riding a bicycle, she rides a moped. Instead of living in a 'hip' warehouse apartment, she trains at a cool carpet warehouse. Instead of a wealthy beau, she has a rich best friend. Instead of her ballet teacher pal passing away, someone else close dies.

I had a bad attitude about this flick when I first started watching since the dubious version I viewed (from Youtube) had washed out colors, obviously taken from a VHS. However, the story & characters pulled me in enough to enjoy the movie. No, it's not as good as "Flashdance" nor great like "Karate Kid," but if you're in the mood for an 80's flick in the mold of "Dirty Dancing" it's likable and fills the bill just fine despite its predictableness and a few eye-rolling bits. You can't beat the Niagara Falls area locations.

I was interested in the movie because I was curious to see the two stars when they were so young, but also because I'm familiar with a few of director Paul Lynch's other films-specifically "Prom Night" (1980), "Humongous" (1982) and "Bullies" (1986)-and I wanted to see how he'd do in a different genre. Quite good, actually.

While d'Abo is a highlight on the female front, so is brunette Nicole Kolman, who plays the 'hot' stepsister with several possible boyfriends. Kolman only appeared in two films, this one and the similar "Body Moves" (1990). Meanwhile Jessica Steen is notable as best friend, Carla.

I can't close without mentioning the coach's hideous red mullet, which I hoped had gone out of style with Mrs. Brady a full decade earlier.

The film runs 1 hour, 36 minutes (full version), and was shot in Toronto and Niagara Falls.

GRADE: B-

I wonder what the famed Golden Harvest studio of Hong Kong were thinking when they decided to be associated with this tacky Canadian film. While I do admire the Canadians who made this movie for the fact that they did it on their own without government financing, the finished product is really hard to sit through. It's a pretty cheap-looking affair, looking unfocused and sporting odd-looking pastel colors. What really sinks the movie, however, is the script. There is not one turn in the lumbering story that comes as a surprise or has been given a new spin. Several relationships the movie's heroine is involved with seem unfinished or were left on the editing room floor. If you're wondering about Keanu Reeves, who appeared in this movie before he became famous, let me just say that his level of acting here is just as bad as it is in most of his Hollywood movies. This movie has apparently moved into the public domain, which isn't really a surprise - who on earth would put up the money to maintain its copyright?

What an insult to Olivia D'Abo who plays the film's heroine, Robin, to have Keanu Reeves appear so large on the box art of the film (and at least on recent reissues, to have only Reeves appear on the box), considering that she was the star. I realize that it is his name that will ultimately sell this long-forgotten After School Special, but at least give the woman some credit.

Despite that, this has to be one of the worst teen sports-themed films that I have ever seen, and it strives very hard to add not only every teen and sports movie cliché from the class warfare between the feuding gymnasts to the teen romance. And, in striving to somehow deliver itself as an amateur alternative of Flashdance (with the music in one of the warehouse dance scenes is even quite close to Michael Sembello's notable 'Maniac' which was made famous by Flashdance, or was it the other way around?). It includes similar dance sequences and worse yet, even the 80s dance and sports traditions of corny dance-offs between the heroine and her antagonist(s), the one who doubts her successes and abilities on the team. We saw this in Trashin' (a vert ramp joust) and Rad (BMX dancing at the prom, although it wasn't much for competition, but rather for fun) for example. In fact, this movie is chock full of unrealistic corniness, such as the somewhat homo-erotic rolling in the clothes at the Salvation Army with Robin and her friend from the team.

Nonetheless, the film is about a young girl who comes from a rather poor background. To top it off in a massive need to squeeze from audiences as much sympathy as possible, she lives with her ailing mother, her obnoxious sister, and her careless (and slightly abusive) stepfather. Needless to say, homelife is not so appealing. Add to the mix, a talent for gymnastics, but several obstacles to joining the team (including the nuisance of her arrogant, snobby teammates, and a coach who also eventually doubts her abilities to compete well). And, of course, we can't forget that she's got eyes for one of the pretty boy preppies who is dating one of the obnoxious teammates, nor that she doesn't have a steady boyfriend (although Keanu as Tommy later enters the picture). Could this kid be any more pathetic? And it seems that one mess after another comes along to embarrass herself in her painfully long, redundant, and clichéd quest to prove her worth to everyone.

But, even the major moments of cheesiness which comprise most of the film, are hardly worth mentioning considering that the biggest distraction to this film is the horrible acting and dialog. (I like how the gym coach suddenly appears at the diner in the middle of the dance-off to scold the teammates). It makes episodes of 'Amazing Stories' look like Shakespeare.

I imagine anyone able to locate this film and watch it these days is probably drawn to it mostly because of the nostalgic factor. For that you might be satisfied, but it is also an incredibly forced drama. So, Caveat Emptour.

This movie is not the typical sports movie. It is about a girl named Robin who has gone through many tragedies and yet never stops trying to achieve her goals. Early on in the movie we find out that she was recently in a car crash and has a knee injury. This is especially terrible to her because it keeps her from reaching her full potential in the sport she loves the most gymnastics.

Unlike many sport movies, Robin doesn't start out as the best there is. She has to work at it. Her aspirations are not what the whole film is about either. She also has troubles at home with her alcoholic step-dad and is not the most popular kid. Also, the film is not entirely focused on Robin. There are also other characters who have difficulties in their lives All in all this film is a feel good movie. It is full of music and spirit. You will enjoy the acting and relate to the characters.

I came across this via Cynthia Nixon's credits, but I don't think she is in the film. And to quote another review this is a fun Gymnastic film 80s film to watch.