Judging from some of the comments about this movie, I guess you have to be an ex-skater (or a fan of skating) to appreciate this movie. Yes, it is WAY, WAY over the top, but I think people are missing that it was MEANT to be. I found it a cute and funny film. No, it's not close to one of the greatest mockumentary ever made, but I enjoyed it.
Even though a lot of facts about competitive figure skating are gotten wrong in this movie (deliberately and hilariously so, in some cases) the filmmakers somehow inadvertently got a lot right. While most of these characters are grossly exaggerated for comic affect, I recognize almost all of them. There were quite a few Vedas that I recall: kids who were very good, but didn't give a rat's ass about skating and wouldn't be doing it if their parents (usually but not always their "skating mother") weren't forcing them to. Yes, there were most CERTAINLY mothers as pushy as Veda's mother (some worse, come to think of it and some were even in fur coats) although most of them (thank the Lord) weren't channeling Joan Crawford! Even the friendly and seemingly ever present Zamboni guy (Jason Alexander) is a character I remember. And if you think judges being prejudiced only happens on the international level, well, wake up and smell the coffee!!! There were even a few J.C.'s, girls who couldn't care less about the Olympics, but were working their way towards ice shows. Although you don't have to win Regionals to get into one, you just try out! <g>
Even though a lot of facts about competitive figure skating are gotten wrong in this movie (deliberately and hilariously so, in some cases) the filmmakers somehow inadvertently got a lot right. While most of these characters are grossly exaggerated for comic affect, I recognize almost all of them. There were quite a few Vedas that I recall: kids who were very good, but didn't give a rat's ass about skating and wouldn't be doing it if their parents (usually but not always their "skating mother") weren't forcing them to. Yes, there were most CERTAINLY mothers as pushy as Veda's mother (some worse, come to think of it and some were even in fur coats) although most of them (thank the Lord) weren't channeling Joan Crawford! Even the friendly and seemingly ever present Zamboni guy (Jason Alexander) is a character I remember. And if you think judges being prejudiced only happens on the international level, well, wake up and smell the coffee!!! There were even a few J.C.'s, girls who couldn't care less about the Olympics, but were working their way towards ice shows. Although you don't have to win Regionals to get into one, you just try out! <g>