Behind the beautiful and graceful performances of athletes hides the daily titanic labor. Movies about gymnastics will lift the veil of real life and careful preparation for important competitions. Pictures can both energize motivation and break the “rose-colored glasses” of naive hopes and youthful fantasies.
The Bronze
- IMDB Rating – 6.1
- Genre: Drama, Comedy, Sports
- Production: USA / 2015
- Budget: $3,500,000
- US box office receipts: $615,816
- Director: Brian Buckley
- Starring: Melissa Rausch, Gary Cole, Haley Lu Richardson, Thomas Middleditch, Sebastian Stan, Cecily Strong, Dale Raoul, Craig Kilborn, Olga Korbut, Dominique Moseanu
Hope Ann Gregory has been training hard since childhood, dreaming of becoming famous, but fate had it differently. During the Olympic Games the girl gets a serious injury, takes the third place – and forever leaves professional sports.
The girl returns to her hometown famous, but 10 years later does not intend to part with the high status. Hope drives around the provincial streets on a rusty car, dressed in a comfortable tracksuit and constantly quarrels with her father. When Gregory’s former coach takes her own life, a vacant mentor position becomes available.
The star of the Marvel movie universe Sebastian Stan performed almost all the stunts himself, without the help of a stuntman. The actor starred even in a bed scene, and the main role’s performer asked to replace her understudy.
The character of Hope is completely fictional and collected, but the village of Emhurst exists in reality.
The script for the picture was written by actress Melissa Rausch in collaboration with her husband, so other candidates for the lead role was not considered.
The Olympic Games are mentioned in the film allegorically because of the strict rules imposed by the IOC.
Make It or Break It (serial)
- IMDB Rating – 7.6
- Genre: Drama, Sports
- Production: USA / 2009
- Director: David Paymer, Chris Grismer, Steve Miner
- Starring: Ayla Kell, Josie Lauren, Cassie Scerbo, Chelsea Hobbs, Neil Jackson, Johnny Pacar, Kendez Cameron Bure, Peri Gilpin, Susan Ward, Anthony Stark
Continues the top of the best movies about gymnastics popular American series. In a small town in Colorado is the best school “Rock”, which has raised more than one generation of future champions.
Rows of students joined the ambitious Emily, who began training from the first day of stay in the walls of the base. The girl received a prestigious scholarship and dreams of gold medals, but the school already has its authoritative leaders. Payson is used to winning at any cost, Lauren is ready to go over the heads of her rivals, and even romantic Kaylee is not lagging behind her determined friends.
The series is recognized as one of the most truthful, as it shows the other side of life of professional female athletes. Girls limit themselves in food, train to exhaustion and get serious injuries, which can at any moment put an end to their careers.
In the filming process involved real athletes, so all the tricks and numbers look realistic. After a successful premiere, the series was renewed for a second season after a six-month break.
Peaceful Warrior
- IMDB Rating – 7.2
- Genre: Drama, Melodrama, Sports, Biography
- Production: USA, Germany / 2006
- Budget: $10,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $1,433,261
- Director: Victor Salva
- Starring: Scott Mechlowitz, Nick Nolte, Amy Smart, Tim DK, Ashton Holmes, Paul Wesley, B.J. Britt, Agnes Bruckner, Tom Tarantini, Beatrice Rosen.
Dan Miller is a favorite of fate and a talented athlete, who is prophesied a successful future in gymnastics. The guy has high chances to become a participant of the next Olympics, but the young man prefers to spend his free time on pleasant communication with girls
Dan walks until morning at parties, dashes around the city on a motorcycle, but a terrible accident crosses out bold plans. An acquaintance with the mysterious Socrates gives the guy hope for recovery, but for this he will have to work hard and leave empty entertainment in the past.
The movie is based on Dan Millman’s autobiographical bestseller, so the main character of the picture is named after the writer. The novelist played the role of an accidental driver at a gas station – the appearance on the screen took a few seconds.
Champions: Faster. Taller. Stronger
- IMDB Rating – 6.3
- Genre: Sports, Drama
- Production: Russia / 2016
- Budget: ₽ 90,000,000
- Worldwide Box Office: $2,520,972
- Director: Artem Aksenenko
- Starring: Sergei Bondarchuk, Evgeny Pronin, Christina Asmus, Egor Koreshkov, Alexander Robak, Daria Ekamasova, Sergei Sosnovsky, Viktor Khoriniak, Jemal Tetruashvili, Christina Shapovalova
The plot of one of the best movies about gymnastics and sports is based on the real stories of Svetlana Khorkina, Alexander Karelin and Alexander Popov. Modern athletes are trying to repeat the records of champions, behind the victories of which there is a colossal labor.
Khorkina was nicknamed “Queen of the uneven bars”, although many doubted the girl’s success. Popov was called “Russian Torpedo”, and a ridiculous accident almost cost him his life. Karelin is known under the pseudonym “Asphalt Paver”, and only those close to him know with what injury the guy went to the decisive competition.
In her youth, Kristina Asmus practiced gymnastics, so she performed most of the stunts on her own. Particularly difficult exercises took on the champion Daria Skrypnik.
Shooting the scene at the outdoor pool had to be postponed because of the raging storm, which destroyed the set.
This is the first Russian film to receive permission from the IOC to use Olympic symbols and direct reference to the Games.
Special equipment was used for underwater filming, swimming at the speed of an athlete.
Tanburingu
- IMDB Rating – 7.5
- Genre: Comedy
- Production: Japan / 2010
- Director: Kodai Hama, Kenjiro Kuranuki, Ayato Matsuda
- Starring: Yusuke Yamamoto, Koji Seto, Shohei Miura, Soran Tomato, Shunsuke Daito, Takahiro Nishijima, Satoshi Tomiura, Tomo Yanagishita, Kento Kaku, Akira
Adzuma Wataru is the local troublemaker and the storm of the high school, who does not recognize authority. His bad behavior negatively affects his grades, so the school administration offers to compensate for the missing points by joining a section.
The guy meets the idea without much enthusiasm, until he learns about the plans of the beautiful Satonaka Mari. The girl is engaged in rhythmic gymnastics, and Adzuma joins the men’s team. A new environment and a change of scenery favorably affect the young man, who directs his energy in a useful direction.
At the time of filming, actor Yusuke Yamamoto was 22 years old, but that didn’t stop him from getting into the role of a rebellious teenager.
The Gabby Douglas Story
- IMDB Rating – 6.9
- Genre: Drama, Biography, Sports
- Production: USA / 2014
- Director: Gregg Champion
- Starring: Regina King, Imani Hakim, Sydney Mikayla, Brian Tee, David Jones, S. Ipeita Merkerson, Gabby Douglas, J.J. Jones, CindyMarie Small, Sarah Surkh.
The list of movies about gymnastics was supplemented by a picture about strong motivation and inhuman capabilities. Gabby was born into a large African-American family, and doctors immediately gave a disappointing diagnosis. The girl was diagnosed with a rare blood disease, but the disease did not prevent the girl to train hard for a high goal.
The Douglas family is forced to constantly move in search of a better life and work, and the difficulties only hardened the character of the little athlete. When Chinese coach Chow appears in town, Gabby realizes that this is her only chance for success.
Gabrielle started gymnastics thanks to her older sister, who persuaded her mother to put the talented girl in a gymnastics class. Douglas received her first gold medal at the age of 8, and at 13 her photo appeared on the cover of a prestigious sports publication. Gabby is the first African-American woman to become a two-time Olympic champion.
Full Out
- IMDB Rating – 6.4
- Genre: Drama, Family, Biography, Sports
- Production: Canada, USA / 2015
- Budget: CA$ 1,500,000
- Director: Sean Cisterna
- Starring: Ana Golja, Jennifer Beals, Sarah Fisher, Ashanti Bromfield, Robbie Graham-Kuntz, Lamar Johnson, Jenny Sermonia, Ramona Milano, Nick Bailey
The movie is based on the real story of the American gymnast Ariana Alice Berlin. After terrible injuries received in a car accident, the girl found the strength to return to the arena of professional sports. Ariana restored the technique of program execution, mastered break dancing and took part in feature films as a stuntwoman.
Berlin became Ana Golja’s understudy as the actress did not have the proper training.
Actress Ana Golja was nominated for the prestigious Canadian Film Award for Best Actress in a Youth Film.
The sports drama has a sequel: the sequel was released in 2020 on the streaming service Netflix, and is dedicated to the history of the women’s gymnastics team from Oklahoma.
Fehér tenyér
- IMDB Rating – 7.5
- Genre: Drama, Sports
- Production: Hungary / 2006
- Worldwide Box Office: $42,630
- Director: Szabolcs Hajdu
- Starring: Zoltán Miklós Hajdu, Kyle Schüfelt, Gheorghe Dinicke, Andor Lukács, Oana Pellá, David Horváth, David Vechernyes, Peter Deri
The list of movies about girl gymnasts is diluted by a picture about Hungarian athlete Dongo. Tired of the succession of competitions, the man goes to Canada to continue his career as a coach. To educate the younger generation of champions Dongo chooses the whip method, but after a single physical punishment he is deprived of his position.
In return, the mentor is assigned to train the wayward young man Kyle, to whom no one has yet been able to find an approach. The routine training gradually turns into a confrontation between the teacher and the mentee, who tries to outdo Dongo.
To reveal the character of the protagonist, the director used the flashback technique, harmoniously incorporating the gymnast’s childhood into the plot. In the film career of Hungarian actor Zoltan Miklós Hajdu, this role became one of the most significant.
Stick It
- IMDB Rating – 6.3
- Genre: Drama, Comedy, Sports
- Production: USA, Germany / 2006
- Worldwide Box Office: $31,976,848
- Director: Jessica Bendinger
- Starring: Missy Peregrym, Jeff Bridges, Vanessa Lengiz, Nikki SuHu, Maddy Curley, Kellan Lutz, John Patrick Amedori, Mio Dzakula, Svetlana Efremova, John Grise
Haley Graham is a talented athlete who has devoted most of her life to hard training. The news of her mother’s infidelity knocks the girl out of her rut, and the gymnast on the eve of an important competition refuses to perform.
Haley returns to the usual teenage environment, spilling out the accumulated anger and aggression. Graham prefers extreme entertainment, and another prank leads to arrest. The girl is faced with a difficult choice: to serve time in prison or in an elite sports school, which is no different from a correctional institution.
Famous American gymnasts made cameos in the movie, and the final scene featured world-renowned athletes. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Bart Conner was invited to be the chief consultant.
Preparation for filming began several months in advance, so that the performers of the main roles had time to get in shape. Daily trainings lasted for 6 hours and did not stop during the work process.
The Simone Biles Story: Courage to Soar
- IMDB Rating – 6.4
- Genre: Drama, Biography, Sports
- Production: USA / 2018
- Director: Vanessa Paris
- Starring: Simon Aikenhead, Tim Beckmann, Raven Bowens, Kai Bradbury, Giovanna Burke, Tisha Campbell, Jaslyn Collis, Olivia Courtney, Jade Falcone
A heartfelt biographical drama replenished the collection of modern films about gymnastics. At the age of 20 Simone managed to become a four-time Olympic champion, and behind the shoulders of a fragile girl has already had 10 victories on the world sports scene.
On the way to fame and success Biles had to overcome severe trials, but even in the face of difficulties the athlete did not falter. The girl left school, practiced hard and was subjected to terrible psychological pressure to become a real star.
The athlete’s own sister is also involved in gymnastics, inspired by Simone’s example. At the 2016 Olympics, Biles won 5 out of 6 possible medals. In the summer of 2021, the girl withdrew from the final stage of the competition due to an emotional breakdown.
Simone on a permanent basis takes medication for the treatment of hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder. The girl is not ashamed of the course of psychotherapy and believes that everyone should deal with their mental health.
Chrysalis
- IMDB Rating – 7.4
- Genre: Drama, melodrama, sport
- Production: USSR / 1988
- Director: Isaac Friedberg
- Starring: Svetlana Zasypkina, Irina Metlitskaya, Dmitry Zubarev, Vladimir Menshov, Igor Bukatko, Natalia Nazarova, Irina Petrova, Galina Stakhanova, Svetlana Shershneva, Ervant Arzumanyan.
The drama breaks the stereotype that Soviet gymnastics movies should be kind and naive. A schoolgirl Tanya at the age of 16 manages to become a famous athlete and travel the world, but because of a serious injury she is forced to end her career.
The girl comes to her hometown and goes to an ordinary school, not giving up the desire to be the first in everything. Tanya intends to win at any cost, so in the company of peers applies the skills learned in training. However, the girl does not take into account that the school is not an Olympic arena, and there are their own laws.
A scarce Kodak film was used on the set, and the actors carefully rehearsed each scene so that one take would be enough. The movie is based on a script by Ageyev, and in 2012 Androsov wrote a novella that became a continuation of the “perestroika” story.
In one of the scenes, schoolchildren watch a real horror movie “The Evil Dead”. The role of Tanya was played by Sveta Zasypkina with a similar fate – she too was forced to leave professional sports because of a spinal cord injury.
Perfect Body
- IMDB Rating – 6.2
- Genre: Drama, Family, Sports
- Production: USA / 1997
- Director: Douglas Barr
- Starring: Amy Jo Johnson, Brett Cullen, Wendy Malick, Ray Baker, Tara Boger, Ron Melendez, Julie Patzwald, Kathy Rigby, Michelle Skalnick, Nicole McKay.
The top Russian and foreign movies about gymnastics concludes with a drama about the consequences of fanatical training. Talented athlete Andy Bradley plans to participate in the Olympics, and the real gift is the opportunity to train under the guidance of an experienced mentor.
At the first training session David Blair points out the excess weight of his mentee – and the accidentally uttered phrase becomes the starting point for Andi. The girl exhausts herself by exercising and starving herself, and the situation gradually gets out of control.
One of the roles was played by former gymnast Katie Rigby, who in her youth suffered from an eating disorder. The girl managed to overcome the disease, so she successfully toured the country with lectures, trying to prevent the fatal mistake of many teenagers and athletes.
