Teenage Dream

This is a fun and entertaining movie for anyone who likes gymnastics. It features Keanu Reeves (pre-"Bill & Ted") as the wannabe boyfriend of aspiring highschool gymnastic champion Olivia D'Abo. One of the more memorable scenes shows Robin & Leah at the drive-in having a tumbling challenge to see who's the "best"--Robin "wins" with a running-roundoff-backhandspring-backflip over a red sportscar. The movie is also completely "80's"--with big hair, pop music and funky clothes. While the technical aspects of the movie leave a bit to be desired, and the plot line is a bit predictable, it does have the requisite happy ending.

Remember that the nostalgic aspect of 80s movies did not apply when they actually came out. So we are reviewing them as pieces of nostalgia, not just as movies. As nostalgia, I liked this one.

Buffalo is a good location for a movie about working class teen underdogs. Flashdance and All The Right Moves were in the Pittsburgh area, a bit more cliché.

Gotta love that soundtrack, although again, when it actually came out, you were used to hearing that quasi-disco-optimism genre. Now you are enjoying it as nostalgia. It makes the film for me.

It was actually filmed in '84 but was not released for a couple of years. Keanu was 20, and Olivia was 15. I hope they were both supposed to be Seniors in high school, given their romantic relationship. (As opposed to Sophomores)

Most of Olivia's early films were showcases for her considerably precocious and provocative budding sexuality. In this one though, she was so young, that it makes you feel a bit creepy watching it, unless you are a youngster yourself. I guess the intended audience was and is, teenagers, but even so, 15 is too young for screen sex in my opinion.

I'm still not sure what dancing in a warehouse has to do with competitive gymnastics, although I understand that Tumbling routines are done to music. In Flashdance, the girl was making a living as a pop dancer, while aspiring to ballet. Not so in this one.

The warehouse scenes were gratuitous and included the obligatory dancing African American. That made me squirm, sensing exploitation, but no one forced the guy to do it.

They really stacked the deck with all our character's home life troubles too. Jeez. Dead dad, abusive step dad, ill mom, surly sister, anorexic friend. Wow.

Reeves displays his usual "everyman" appeal that made him a star. I mourn the awkward heavy vibe he adopted or was forced to develop, in later films. He looks very young here.

If you are a teenager and fantasize about having a boyfriend like teen Keanu, or you are a lonely girl who dreams of overcoming odds and finding love, you will enjoy this one. Please enjoy the 80s vibe and learn to appreciate your parents' generation.

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.

to movie,this movie felt like one of those after school specials,only lower budget and lower everything else.i guess this was supposed to an inspirational movie of some sort,but it didn't work for me.yet some how it comes across as preachy.it has very pale shades of Flash Dance,but so what?there just isn't any excitement in this movie.the dialogue is contrived and clichéd to death.of course,the whole movie feels like a bad 80's cliché.the acting was less than stellar,though that has a lot to do with what the actors were given(or in this case-not)to work with.on top of that is the poor song choices,with really bad lyrics.i felt embarrassed for all the actors involved.they are all talented,but you can't tell from this movie.this is just my opinion of course,but i have to give Flying AKA Dream to Believe a 1/10

10 years ago I searched for a copy of this movie on dvd. Or vhs NO EVIDENCE IT EVER EXISTED! And somehow even as Keanu Reeves debut movie IT DID NOT EXIST!!!! I REMBER THIS MOVIE I WATCHED IT REPEATEDLY! IT WAS CALLED FLYING CAUSE THE TEAM WAS CALLED THE NIAGARA FLYERS... and the part where the Robin talks about how it feels to be on the poles .. she feels like she is flying and no one and nothing .. including Bob or anyone else can touch her! But I went searching for a copy of this film on dvd.. it does not exist .. I had to cross reference the actors. Olivia and Keanu.. and I found only one movie at the same time "DREAM TO BELIEVE". I checked it is nearly identical. There are a lot of differences.. many changes.. but it is almost the same movie.. it was NEVER CALLED DREAM TO BELIEVE.. ON MY COPY OF THE MOVIE I WATCHED REPEATEDLY!!! It was called FLYING.. the cover of the movie showed Olivia D'abo in her gymnastics body suit in a dismount midair. Her name was starring Olivia D'Abo .. I know that for a perfect fact! No mistakes no way I am wrong or mistaken.. yet here the only copy of this movie on vhs that I can find now!!!! Is only called "dream to believe" wtf! Shows Keanu Reeves only. even though he is just a minor character in the movie definitely not a main character nor is this movie about him he has little airtime. yet in Dream to believe.. he and only he is on the cover ! Olivia is on the back. In a stylized handstand ...wtf? What's going on? I know there is a phenomena called the " Mandela Effect" where a lot of people distinctly remember something in pop culture one way.. and others show it's a completely different proof it's different for example .. the Berenstain Bears ..many ppl remember it spelled that way. And now the books only show Berenstein bears... spelling. And many people swear they saw a movie called Shazam starring Sinbad as a Genie .. when in fact the real movie was KAZAM starring Shaq as a Genie .. I get if they re released the movie years later putting the focus on Keanu after her got famous.. but. Why change the name .. but I checked Wikipedia. No where did it say the film was originally called Flying! This has always bugged me that I could not find it. But tonight on a hunch I checked IMDb I found it! See I knew I was not crazy! But Keanu is still on the cover so it's not the original release ? Hmm still confused .. he barely has 20 mins screen time