Dying to Win

This title is usually reserved for cheer competitions and beauty pageants, but here it's apparently an elite gymnast which we only sparingly see perform.

The storyline is outright silly and the acting is even sillier. Most of the dialogue in the movie is between the sleazy agent and the young gymnast and it feels like a bad afternoon soap opera. The male lead - who is a staple of Lifetime movies - you would think would have some seniority in getting the "better" scripts. But this is embarrassingly bad.

You know it's bad when the grieving young gymnast goes on a popular streaming show and is asked by the host."Didn't something bad happen you recently?"... And while the young star tries to search for the right response, the hosts blurts out "Weren't your parents MURDERED?"

Unlike most Lifetime there's really no hint of mystery so the movie is entirely predictable. And the police detectives (and "detective" is giving them too much credit) are merely props because they have pivotal leads that they reveal but do not even do the least due diligence to pursue.

The final minutes are cringeworthy and leaves you wondering what you just saw...

This is the worst acting I've seen in a long time! What a waste of time. From the main actress to the crazy agent, to the detectives who want to believe the worst. Then there's the talk show host who streams live and throws the guest under the bus just for ratings. I guess this is the world we live in now. But if you're looking for a movie to escape in, look elsewhere. It's lame.

I looked this actress up online and she's a YouTube star. What the heck? Is that how movies are getting cast now. Puh-lease!! Don't bother with this movie. It's predictable and overall, just dumb.

And am I the only one who noticed that the actor who played the agent... his accent kept volleying between twang and no twang?

Personally, I enjoyed it. I like to see up-and-coming actors and actresses, put themselves out there.

Also, I liked the message it was putting out about social media obsession.

I won't lie and say that it's one for the "big screen", but it is a perfect watch for the "boob tube" at home. I will admit; It is a taaaad predictable. But, aren't most of the LTMN movies? You still can't help but to watch it til the end.

I do feel like they may have cheeped out a little too much with this one though. You only get back, what you put into it.

With that being said, I think everyone did an amazing job with the budget, script, and direction they were given to work with.

But (Mia Dinoto) was my favorite. We can't wait to see what she has in store for us in the future. She has to have some kind of gymnastics background. I know they don't really share that much of it on the movie, but I did a look at some of her other, more personal stuff that she has online, and wow! I'd like to see half of us try to do some of that. It's impressive.

Everyone has to start somewhere. Then, you can build something great from that.

The only part of this silly film that has any merit is its reflection of the desperate shallow obsession with social media popularity.

"I just lost a million followers!" Only possible reply, "Where did you last have them?"

Star gymnast bullied by her pushy parent finds appalling parent dead in suspicious circumstances then finds herself the main suspect. Standard stuff.

It was pretty obvious (to me anyway) that certain people around our girl were not to be trusted.

It was also very clear that meeting suspicious people alone in dangerous locations - the edge of a cliff! - would not end well. It never does in these films.

What in the world was this mess suppose to be? A grown man "in love" with another pouty faced LMN "actress" who in no way resembles a world class gymnast. This couldn't be further from a total train wreck of nonsense than it was. The two "detectives" were comical. The "suicide" scene was ridiculous. That scratch on her face that never changed was way much more than her acting, or trying to act. Thank goodness I record these disasters so it only takes me about 45 minutes to get through it. This whole mess was avoidable to make, but somehow it was done (cheaply by the way). Just a bunch of bumbled nonsense.