Summary
- Gymnastics movies delve into athlete stories and Olympic history, from fun comedies to intense documentaries.
- Olympians like Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas inspire films that showcase their talent and triumphs.
- Some films use gymnastics as a plot device for genres like comedy and horror, adding unique twists to the sport.
Over the years, there have been some great gymnastics movies, both those that look at the sport of gymnastics and others that just use it as one of the film’s plot devices. Some movies feature a prominent gymnast character, others focus on the sport of gymnastics itself, and several documentaries take fans behind the scenes of the Olympic sport. With gymnastics as an organized sport in the United States since 1881 and an Olympic Games sport since 1896, there is a lot of history behind the sport.
Over its history, some of the biggest Olympic heroes have come from the world of organized gymnastics. Names like Simone Biles, Shannon Miller, Shawn Johnson, Gabby Douglas, and Mary Lou Retton have captured the hearts of the country thanks to their amazing feats in the Olympic Games. This has led several movies to try to use gymnastics as a plot device, often resulting in fun romantic comedies. With the recent sexual abuse scandal with the U.S. Olympic team, there have also been some powerful documentaries on the subject.
Related 10 Best Documentaries About The Olympics, Ranked By IMDb
There have been many documentaries dealing with the Olympics, many reaching high critical acclaim.
15 A 2nd Chance (2011)
A Young Gymnast Wants To Hit The Big Time
A 2nd Chance (2011) PG
A 2nd Chance is a family drama film directed by Clay Glen. The plot centers on a young gymnast given a second opportunity to compete at an elite level after previously failing to make the cut. The film explores themes of perseverance, teamwork, and personal growth, as the young athlete, guided by her supportive coach, strives to prove herself and achieve her dreams against the odds.
Director Clay Glen Release Date November 23, 2011 Cast Nina Pearce , Adam Tuominen , Emily Morris , Amy Handley , Carmel Johnson , Alanah Gilbert , Lilly Blacker Runtime 90 Minutes
A 2nd Chance follows Maddy Cornell, a young gymnast hoping to make it to the big time. With the help of her coach, Kate, she may even secure herself a spot on a professional team. However, both the young aspiring athlete and the older coach have to deal with their own feelings of insecurity and pressure from others to get out of the sport if they are to achieve their goals.
Critics’ reviews for A 2nd Chance were not very favorable, mostly calling the film derivative. However, critics and audience reviews also cite the film’s inspirational message and family-friendly tone. Despite its lackluster reception, however, the film does offer something for fans of the sport to enjoy, especially if they have personal experience with competition or professional involvement. The movie was also popular enough to earn a sequel as well as a spinoff series.
14 Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
Lucy Liu’s Angel Shows Her Gymnastics Prowess
Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle PG-13 Where to Watch
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Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle is a 2003 action comedy that acts as a sequel to the 2000 Charlie’s Angels film. Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu return as Natalie Cook, Dylan Sanders, and Alex Munday, along with director McG. Third and fourth films were planned after the release of Full Throttle but were canceled a year after this sequel’s release.
Director McG Release Date June 27, 2003 Cast Drew Barrymore , Cameron Diaz , Lucy Liu , Bernie Mac , Crispin Glover , Justin Theroux , Demi Moore , Robert Patrick , Matt LeBlanc , Shia LaBeouf , Rodrigo Santoro , Luke Wilson , John Cleese , Ja’net DuBois Runtime 106 Minutes
Though seen as a far inferior sequel to 2000’s Charlie’s Angels reboot, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle takes the kick-flying fights even further. Audiences felt that this came at the cost of a strong story, but the movie does, however, introduce Lucy Liu’s character by showing her in a gymnastics competition.
In that regard, gymnastics plays a very small role in the movie overall, but it is used as a fun bit of backstory to show how these women excelled at various fields which led to their lives as spies.
In that regard, gymnastics plays a very small role in the movie overall, but it is used as a fun bit of backstory to show how these women excelled at various fields which led to their lives as spies. The movie reunites viewers with the central trio (Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu & Cameron Diaz) as they take on a former Angel gone rogue (Demi Moore).
This sequel does offer a few fun sequences and a strong cast that includes cameos from Bruce Willis and Carrie Fisher, as well as Bernie Mac taking over the role of Bosley from Bill Murray. It was a box office success and fans of the franchise appreciated it, even with a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 41%.
Related 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle
As the new Charlie’s Angels movie fast approaches we take a look back at the hidden details of Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.
13 Raising The Bar (2016)
Starring Real-Life Gymnast Jordyn Wieber
Raising The Bar (2016)
Raising The Bar is a family drama film directed by Clay Glen and released in 2016. The story follows a young gymnast who, after moving back from the United States to Australia, decides to reintegrate into the competitive gymnastics scene. Her pursuit of excellence brings challenges that test her resilience and integrity.
Director Clay Glen Release Date May 2, 2016 Cast Kelli Berglund , Lili Karamalikis , Tess Fowler , Emily Morris , Peta Shannon , Jack Tomich , Caetlyn Collins Runtime 93 Minutes
Raising the Bar is a gymnastics movie from 2016 featuring an actual gymnast: Olympic gold medalist, Jordyn Wieber. The plot follows a teen who rejected her placement on a U.S. gymnastics team when she and her family had to move. Now living in Australia, she has left her career in gymnastics in the past only to be confronted with a new opportunity to prove herself in the sport while also finding new friends by embracing her talent once again.
Like A 2nd Chance, the movie is helped by the fact that it focuses on young people trying to make it in the sport and serves as a mix of a coming-of-age story and a sports drama. The movie has a great amount of appeal for those who want a moderately light drama with a focus on real-world issues, such as cyberbullying.
12 The Bronze (2015)
A Duplass Brothers Gymnast Comedy
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A former bronze medalist in gymnastics with local celebrity status reluctantly trains a rising Olympic prospect.
Director Bryan Buckley Release Date January 22, 2016 Cast Melissa Rauch , Gary Cole , Haley Lu Richardson , Thomas MIddleditch , Sebastian Stan , Cecily Strong Runtime 108 minutes
Best known for her work as part of the cast of The Big Bang Theory, Melissa Rauch stars in The Bronze, a comedy from the Duplass Brothers that offers a raunchy and R-rated look at the world of gymnastics with a memorable protagonist. The plot follows former gymnastics Bronze Medalist Hope Ann Greggory (Rauch) as she coasts through life in her hometown.
When her former coach dies, Greggory begrudgingly trains her newest pupil, Maggie Townsend (Haley Lu Richardson). Critics and audiences found The Bronze outright uncomfortable, confusing cringeworthiness with comedy.
In the end, it was just another film that didn’t know what it wanted to be. Even still, Rauch gives a funny performance as this aggressive and foul-mouthed protagonist who is living in the past, even wearing her Olympic team outfit in everyday life. It offers an amusing look at the aftermath of people achieving greatness in the sport.
11 Final Destination 5 (2011)
A Gymnast In A Horror Franchise
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In the fifth installment of the Final Destination franchise, survivors of a suspension bridge collapse are killed in horrific ways after cheating death. Final Destination 5 recieved mixed reviews upon release but was praised for it’s inventive deaths and use of 3D technology. In 2019, it was confirmed that Final Destination 6 was in development.
Director Steven Quale Release Date August 12, 2011 Cast Jacqueline MacInnes Wood , Tony Todd , Emma Bell , David Koechner , Nicholas D’Agosto Runtime 92 minutes
Final Destination 5 follows a group of teens as they try to escape the systematic game played by Death itself. This time, the narrowly avoided disaster is a crumbling suspension bridge. As with the other movies in the Final Destination franchise, this brush with death makes the lucky survivors targets, with Death seeking to finish them off in creative ways.
When one of the survivors, Candice (Ellen Wroe), is revealed to be a gymnast, it sets up her death in one of the most memorable sequences in the movie. The sequence plays out wonderfully, with the audience knowing what is coming but unsure where the gruesome end will come from.
There are countless dangers in the sequence as Candice performs her routine, leading to her demise. It is one of the scenes, along with the movie’s memorable twist ending, that makes Final Destination 5 one of the best in the franchise.
10 The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
An Infamous Gymnastic Fight Scene Makes Its Way Into The Sequel
The Lost World: Jurassic Park pg-13 Sci-FiAdventure Where to Watch
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Following up on the Steven Spielberg classic adapted from the works of Michael Crichton, The Lost World: Jurassic Park is an action-adventure film that changes perspective and focuses on Jeff Goldblum’s Dr. Ian Malcolm as he is sent to investigate Isla Sorna as InGen attempts to resolve its financial woes by selling dinosaurs off to create a new theme park. However, as Malcolm warns the executives of the danger of this, terror is brought stateside when the previously contained threats run loose.
Director Steven Speilberg Release Date May 19, 1997 Cast Jeff Goldblum , Julianne Moore , Pete Postlethwaite Runtime 134minutes
It might be surprising for gymnastics to be featured in Steven Spielberg’s dinosaur sequel, which might explain why The Lost World: Jurassic Park features one of the most controversial gymnastics scenes in movie history.
The sequel finds Jeff Goldblum returning as Ian Malcolm, who leads a rescue operation to a dinosaur-infested island which leaves him and various other characters running for their lives and in need of rescue themselves. One of the people on the island is Malcolm’s daughter, Kelly (Vanessa Lee Chester), who shows off her gymnastic skills in one infamous scene where she uses her abilities to fight off a pack of raptors.
The scene is admittedly quite goofy and does take the audience out of the most temporarily. However, despite not living up to the masterpiece that the original is, the sequel provides a fun and carnage-filled return to the Jurassic Park franchise with Spielberg delivering some excellent sequences.
9 The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)
A Buddy Action Comedy
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The Spy Who Dumped Me is a 2018 action-comedy film directed by Susanna Fogel, starring Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon. The plot revolves around two best friends who become embroiled in an international conspiracy after one discovers her ex-boyfriend is a spy. As they navigate various challenges, their friendship is put to the test amidst the chaos of espionage.
Director Susanna Fogel Release Date August 3, 2018 Cast Kate McKinnon , Dustin Demri-Burns , Justin Theroux , Sam Heughan , Mila Kunis , Hasan Minhaj Runtime 118 minutes
2018’s The Spy Who Dumped Me featured a villain trained in gymnastics in its comedy take on the spy movie genre. The plot follows Audrey and Morgan, two best friends who inadvertently get swept up in a globe-crossing caper. Before saving the world, Audrey has to get over the boyfriend who dumped her out of the blue.
James Bond featured a gymnast love interest in For Your Eyes Only. The Spy Who Dumped Me took this and made it even better and gymnastics fans finally got a memorable villain to identify with. More of a henchwoman than anything else, the Russian gymnast Nadedja (Ivanna Sakhno) also serves as one of the film’s more memorable characters.
The villain is boosted by the reactions of Morgan (Kate McKinnon) to everything she does. This leads to a funny and genuinely thrilling showdown at the climax of the movie, in which Morgan takes on Nadedja during a trapeze performance.
8 Stick It (2006)
A Gymnastics Coming-Of-Age Story
Stick It PG-13 Where to Watch
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Stick It follows Haley Graham, a rebellious teenager with a knack for gymnastics, who is forced to rejoin the competitive gymnastics world after a run-in with the law. Under the strict guidance of coach Burt Vickerman, Haley grapples with her disdain for the sport and her unresolved issues. The film, directed by Jessica Bendinger, highlights themes of individuality, discipline, and the intense pressures of competitive sports.
Director Jessica Bendinger Release Date April 28, 2006 Cast Jeff Bridges , Missy Peregrym , Vanessa Lengies , Nikki SooHoo , Maddy Curley , Kellan Lutz Runtime 103 minutes
If ever there were a film that could be called “a gymnastics movie,” it’s Stick It. The vast majority of the plot focuses on the actual skill behind gymnastics, and whereas most movies featuring gymnastics cast a glance at the sport, Stick It shows admiration for both the sport and its athletes.
The movie also strays into feel-good territory, and while that’s not a bad thing,
Stick It
also manages to inject some realism into the proceedings.
The movie also strays into feel-good territory, and while that’s not a bad thing, Stick It also manages to inject some realism into the proceedings. The plot follows a troubled teen, Haley, with an unexplored gift. After getting into some trouble with the law, Haley is sent to a gymnastics academy.
There, a tough coach (Jeff Bridges) is going to do what he can to get her back on the right track. It is an honest and funny look at those dedicated to the sport and is elevated by the performance of Bridges, which mixes his gravitas as a performer and his natural comedic abilities.
Related 10 Best Olympics Movies Ever Made To Get You Ready For The Games
Ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games, check out the best movies about the Olympics, from Cool Runnings to Chariots of Fire to Blades of Glory.
7 Old School (2003)
A Raunchy R-Rated Comedy
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Old School stars Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, and Luke Wilson as three friends who miss the glory days of college. Now in their 30s, the trio start their own fraternity to try to relive their college experience. Todd Phillips directed the 2003 film, who would go on to direct The Hangover in 2009.
Director Todd Phillips Release Date February 21, 2003 Cast Vince Vaughn , Jeremy Piven , Will Ferrell , Ellen Pompeo , Luke Wilson Runtime 88 minutes
Old School is the endlessly quotable movie that stands out as one of the quintessential R-rated comedies that ruled in the early 2000s. The plot of this beloved, raunchy comedy follows Mitch (Luke Wilson), an early 30s attorney who walks in on his wife cheating on him.
He moves into a house close to a college campus, enlisting the help of Frank (Will Ferrell) and Beanie (Vince Vaughn) to start an unaffiliated fraternity. The climax of the movie finds the fraternity at risk of being shut down over a lack of actual connection to the university, forcing them to participate in a variety of academic and athletic events to cement themselves in the school.
Among these events are a series of gymnastic activities which find Vaughn performing the rings while smoking a cigarette and Ferrell performing a floor routine and jumping through a ring of fire which ends with him ablaze. It is a brief sequence but provides some of the biggest laughs in the movie.
6 Full Out (2015)
Based On The True Story Of Ariana Berlin
Full Out (2015) TV-PG
Full Out is a biographical drama directed by Sean Cisterna, detailing the true story of gymnast Ariana Berlin. Starring Ana Golja, the film follows Berlin’s recovery journey after a car accident derails her Olympic dreams, leading her to find a new path in hip-hop dance.
Director Sean Cisterna Release Date September 11, 2015 Cast Ana Golja , Jennifer Beals , Sarah Fisher , Asha Ashanti Bromfield , Robbie G.K. , lamar johnson , Courtney Van Wirdum Runtime 90 Minutes
Full Out tells the true story of Ariana Berlin, a 14-year-old gymnast who has Olympic dreams. However, her dreams end up shattered when she ends up in an auto accident that results in multiple long bone fractures and the collapse of both lungs.
When she struggles to get her form back and get back to gymnastics, she finds something new to help her recover – a San Diego breakdance troupe called Culture Shock. It’s here that she meets the head coach from UCLA and gets a chance to reach her dreams again.
Full Out is a made-for-TV movie, and it shows her struggles after the accident up to her walking on at UCLA and winning the NCAA championship in college. The movie was a success and even resulted in a sequel in 2020 that focused on a different story, this one of the 2016 Oklahoma Sooners gymnastics team.
5 Jump Ashin! (2011)
A Taiwanese Gymnastics Movie
Jump Ashin! (2011)
Jump Ashin! is a Taiwanese sports drama film directed by Lin Yu-hsien. The movie centers on Ashin, a young gymnast whose dreams are thwarted by familial obligations. Struggling to find his place, Ashin reclaims his passion for gymnastics against formidable odds. The film explores themes of perseverance and self-discovery, drawing on the director’s own experiences.
Director Yu-Hsien Lin Release Date August 12, 2011 Cast Eddie Peng , Lawrence Ko , Zaizai Lin , Li-li Pan , Ching-Ting Hsia Runtime 126 Minutes
Jump Ashin! is a Taiwanese gymnastics movie based on a true story previously told in the 2004 documentary Jump! Boys. Lin Yu-Hsien directed both the documentary and the fictional retelling of the gymnastics team that his brother coached in elementary school.
In this movie, Ashin is a young man whose school gymnastics coach has high hopes for his success in the sport. However, Ashin’s mother pulls him off the team because one leg is shorter than the other, and she believes he will fail. This is more of a drama, and much of what happens next is the result of him leaving this dream behind.
It leads to him working for his mother at her fruit shop before getting involved in street gangs and crime. When his friend is murdered on the streets, Ashin decides to go back home and rekindle his love for gymnastics, which he uses to better his life. The movie won several awards at the Taipei Film Festival, Golden Horse Awards, and Chinese Film Media Awards.
4 Hatching (2022)
A Finnish Horror Movie
Hatching Not Rated Where to Watch
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In Hatching, 12-year-old gymnast Tinja (Siiri Solalinna) is desperate to please her image-obsessed mother, whose popular blog ‘Lovely Everyday Life’ presents their family’s idyllic existence as manicured suburban perfection. One day, after finding a wounded bird in the woods, Tinja brings its strange egg home, nestles it in her bed, and nurtures it until it hatches. The creature that emerges becomes her closest friend and a living nightmare.
Director Hanna Bergholm Release Date March 4, 2022 Writers Ilja Rautsi Cast Siiri Solalinna , Reino Nordin , Sophia Heikkilä , Jani Volanen , Saija Lentonen Runtime 87 minutes
Hatching is a Finnish horror movie that doubles as a gymnastics movie and a body horror film. The story revolves around a 12-year-old girl named Tinja, who practices gymnastics at the behest of her image-obsessed mother. Her mother, a former figure skater who is now an influencer, demands her daughter work to be the best at everything.
However, when Tinja finds an egg from a dead crow, she brings it home and places it under her pillow to incubate it. Once the egg hatches, it gives birth to a doppelgånger of Tinja who then starts to attempt to take over her life.
The doppelgånger begins to violently attack anyone who angers it, including a gymnastics competitor, to allow Tinja to get into the starting lineup on her school team. The movie received very high critical reviews, sitting at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, and uses the gymnastics part of Tinja’s life to deliver some extremely terrifying moments.
3 At The Heart Of Gold: Inside The US Gymnastics Scandal (2019)
A Documentary About The Dr. Nassar Scandal
At The Heart Of Gold: Inside The US Gymnastics Scandal (2019) TV-MA
At The Heart Of Gold: Inside The US Gymnastics Scandal is a documentary film directed by Erin Lee Carr. The film delves into the systemic abuse within the world of USA Gymnastics, focusing on the accounts of survivors who endured sexual exploitation by team doctor Larry Nassar. Through interviews and archival footage, the documentary examines the institutional failures that allowed the abuse to continue unchecked for over two decades.
Director Erin Lee Carr Release Date April 26, 2019 Runtime 89 Minutes
In 2019, a documentary focused on the horrific abuse that Dr. Larry Nassar committedagainst the United States gymnastics team. It wasn’t the most famous documentary about this incident, as Athlete A came out on Netflix one year later. However, the revelations against the doctor and the people who turned their heads while it was happening deserve to be told.
What makes this documentary different is that it interviews the people affected by Nassar’s sexual assault and horrific crimes. Director Erin Lee Carr interviews some big names, including gymnastics coach Aimee Boorman and Olympian Simone Biles.
This features statements made by Nassar’s victims as he went on trial and ended up being sentenced to 60 years in prison. Nassar assaulted at least 265 young women while serving as the U.S. gymnastics team’s doctor. It is not an easy subject to watch, but an important documentary in examining the darker aspects of the sport.
2 The Gabby Douglas Story (2014)
Gabby Douglas’s Inspirational Story
The Gabby Douglas Story (2014)
The Gabby Douglas Story chronicles the journey of Gabby Douglas, the first African-American gymnast to win individual all-around gold at the 2012 London Olympics. Directed by Gregg Champion, the film portrays Douglas’s dedication and challenges from her early training to her groundbreaking victory, highlighting the support of her family and coach. Starring Imani Hakim as young Gabby and Regina King as her mother, the film is an inspiring depiction of perseverance and achievement.
Director Gregg Champion Release Date February 1, 2014 Cast Regina King , Imani Hakim , Sydney Mikayla , Brian Tee , David Haydn-Jones , S. Epatha Merkerson , Gabby Douglas Runtime 86 Minutes
This 2014 Lifetime biopic sheds an empathetic light on what it takes to make history and become the first Black Olympic individual all-around champion. The plot tells the true story of how Olympic champion Gabby Douglas (Imani Hakim) achieved glory.
Young and diligent, Douglas must train with Liang Chow (Brian Tee), a former artistic gymnast. The movie earned four Image Awards nominations. Douglas has been one of the biggest names in the sport since she took the world by storm and helped to inspire a lot of young girls to know that they belong in the world of gymnastics, even if there were not always a lot of people in the sport that looked like them.
The movie is a celebration of how Douglas got to that point, looking at her hard work and sacrifice.
The movie is a celebration of how Douglas got to that point, looking at her hard work and sacrifice. However, one of the most effective aspects of the movie is showing the support she received from her family throughout the amazing journey to victory.
Related 8 Best Gymnastics Documentaries, Ranked By IMDb
From Over The Limit to 16 Days of Glory, these are just some examples of the best gymnastic documentaries. But what are their rankings on IMDb?
1 Athlete A (2020)
The Netflix Documentary About Dr. Nassar’s Sexual Assault Crimes
Athlete A PG-13 Where to Watch
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Athlete A is a documentary that uncovers the extensive sexual abuse scandal involving USA Gymnastics and physician Larry Nassar. Directed by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk, the film follows the investigative journalists at the Indianapolis Star who exposed the abuse, alongside the testimonies of the brave survivors who came forward. The documentary emphasizes the systemic failures and the fight for justice within the sport.
Director Bonni Cohen , Jon Shenk Release Date June 24, 2020 Cast Maggie Nichols , Gina Nichols Runtime 103 minutes
Athlete A is a harrowing documentary released in 2020 aboutthe sexual abuse case against Dr. Larry Nassar. This film focuses on the journalists from the Indianapolis Star, as they expose Nassar’s treatment of collegiate gymnasts over several years.
The main victim at the time was former collegiate artistic gymnast Maggie Nichols, who stepped forward to expose what Nassar was doing, and that led to several more women stepping up until the true scope of his horrific actions was revealed. Nichols takes part in the documentary, as do other victims such as Rachael Denhollander and Jamie Dantzscher. The movie shows what Nassar did to these young women.
It also shows how Nichols faced backlash when she originally came forward, which caused her to miss out on the 2016 United States Olympics. One of the best gymnastics movies ever made as a documentary, it debuted on Netflix to worldwide acclaim.