ClubHooligan.com - Burning it up at both ends

Web posted June 7, 2007

'Gracie' cheesy, but I guess that's the goooooaaaaalll!!

By Chester Duke Carson

Chester Duke Carson

The big screen: Notes from Hooligan's California correspondent

More often than not, a movie goes one of three ways:

1. Surprisingly good.

2. Surprisingly bad.

3. Exactly what you expected.

A recent example of No. 3 is "My Super Ex-Girlfriend." It was horrible, as expected.

An example of No. 2 is "The Black Dhalia." Maybe I'm the only one, but I always have faith in director Brian De Palma. Ugh.

Now to No. 1.

Last week, I mocked the television preview for "Gracie," saying something only I thought was clever (our cat just stared blankly at me; she has no sense of humor). Then I got word I'd be seeing "Gracie" over the weekend for this column, and I put off watching it like I would an annoying homework assignment. Well, guess what? Procrastination was unnecessary.

"Gracie" is the story of what happens when a soccer-star son is killed in a car accident, and his kid sister, Gracie, decides to take his place on the high school team and lead it to victory. She is the only person who believes she can do it, though she slowly wills more and more people on her side.

Courtesy of picturehouse

Good footwork: Carly Schroeder puts in a solid performance in the starring role in the feel-good soccer film "Gracie."

The plot is fairly formulaic, though the fact it's inspired by a real family's story makes the whole package much easier to swallow. Gracie is based on the childhood of Oscar-nominated actress Elizabeth Shue ("Leaving Las Vegas"), who plays the mother here. If a movie is going to be as cornball as this one - there are enough slow-motion scenes with an accompanying swelling score to fill my quota for the year - it had better be true!

Gracie's tale takes place in 1978 New Jersey during the early stages of Title IX. Gracie's only choice is to try out for the boys' team. She must overcome resistance from her family as well as her would-be teammates, who do everything they can to deter her from her quest.

Movie Review

'Gracie'

Rating: ★★★

Starring: Carly Schroeder, Dermot Mulroney, Elisabeth Shue and Andrew Shue.

Director: Davis Guggenheim.

Parent's guide: PG-13.

Running time: 1 hour, 30 mins.

Carly Schroeder's solid performance makes it easy to root for Gracie, whose determination wins over her father (a captivating Dermot Mulroney) and finally her teammates.

It's worth noting that the soccer sequences are done well! Being someone who has played a fair amount of the sport, I always worry that a film will lose credibility with lame shots of players from the waist down hastily cut together with some waist-up shots of the talent that add up to an embarrassing stab at realism. In "Gracie," the soccer is believable.

The film is cheesy from start to finish - sometimes to the point of being unrealistic - but it works.

Even the lady next to me, who angrily told some kids a few rows down to turn off their cell phones, couldn't keep me from getting wrapped up to the point of getting choked up and shedding some tears. More than once.

Take the family and feel good in doing so.