Overall Rating Awesome: 8.82% Worth A Look: 14.71% Just Average: 2.94% Pretty Crappy: 11.76% Sucks: 61.76% 2 reviews, 22 user ratings

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American Anthem

Buy posters from this movie

by Kelly Palma

"This is definitely an 80's movie and in this case that is a bad thing..."

This movie is a trip back in time to the glory days of gymnastics. American pride, lots of banner waving, and even a gaggle of bikers in the stands cheering for their favorite athlete. Kind of an odd mental picture, huh? Well it's kind of an odd movie.

Albert Magnoli who also directed Purple Rain attempts to bring to life this heart wrenching tale of a boy who struggles through his family problems to try and achieve olympic greatness. The only thing that Magnoli succeeds at is making me sick to my stomach.

Mitch Gaylord actually is a gymnast in real life. This movie proves he should have stuck to what he was good at. He received the honor [or perhaps dishonor is a better word] of a RAZZIE AWARD in 1987, for being the WORST NEW STAR

Steve [Mitch Gaylord] is a talented gymnast who has given up on competition and is working at his father's [John Aprea] bike shop. Julie [Janet Jones] is the new girl at his old gym, who has moved to town to train with their powerful coach [Michael Pataki]. Inspired by Julie, Steve resumes training. While dealing with the conflicts in their personal lives and the stress of training, they prepare for the US Olympic Trials.

This is an odd and unbelievably bad movie. The one single redeeming quality is the caliber of the gymnastics performed. Well perhaps maybe one more macabre thing -- there is a scene when one of the gymnast's makes a grave error and comes flying off the high bar and crashes into the judges. Really, I'm not making this up...I swear...

link directly to this review at http://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com/review.php?movie=3280&reviewer=88
originally posted: 12/11/01 14:39:51

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User Comments

5/18/08 lourdes i love the movie,i think is a very good story 4 stars

1/31/08 dana i thought he was hot and the movie good... 5 stars

3/23/05 Jeannette I love gymnastics & love a positive message. Give them a break...I have seen worse! 3 stars

8/20/04 giesel Aragon I liked it. When is it coming out in DVD 5 stars

3/12/04 Lucy Fun movie, with HOT guy 5 stars

8/29/03 Jennifer I really liked it 4 stars

5/29/03 Tommy T I remember the movie. Have you heard the soundtrack? 4 stars

3/09/03 Jack Sommersby The film blows, but Janet Jones is divine! 1 stars

12/15/02 dont need to know ok the movie was kinda gay but tiny wells is not bad i know this more then you think 4 stars

12/09/02 Porrey yavandeya l;an 1 stars

12/04/02 jav It is a good movie despite bad reviews from people who do not know a true athletes' life 4 stars

10/30/02 Lance Johnson 80's 2 stars

10/09/02 Rex Oates "Danny Squire"in the movie is my cousin Mark Oates, other than that..YUK! 2 stars

10/01/02 Buddha The quintessential 80's bomb. So bad it hurts to watch. 1 stars

10/01/02 snowconehead I am Mitch Gaylord 1 stars

9/30/02 Rubin I was Mitch Gaylord's Stand-In 2 stars

9/10/02 Anna lee it's the worst thing Ive ever seen 2 stars

8/24/02 Robert Fogg Predictable 1 stars

4/01/02 Jake You know you love it! lol...Janet Jones grunts when she flips?! Ahhh! heinous dance music!! 1 stars

2/01/02 Ron Kearn totally inaccurate 1 stars

5/15/01 Tatiana Grosheva Big lights,fast action,actors who think they are stars.Actually,a dumb junk movie.Ok? 1 stars

4/25/00 Svetlana Khorkina This movie could have been worse but I don't see how. 1 stars

IF YOU'VE SEEN THIS FILM, RATE IT!
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USA 02-Jun-1986 (PG-13) UK N/A Australia N/A

Directed by Albert Magnoli Written by Evan Archerd Jeff Benjamin Cast Mitch Gaylord Tiny Wells Janet Jones Michael Pataki Patrice Donnelly

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