The Bronze (2015)

OK Sports Comedy - The Bronze review by GI

This is a reasonably funny sports comedy that focuses on redemption of a quite narcissistic main character and it's a little chaotically structured with some very sudden moves into silliness. Melissa Rauch, who also is the main writer here, stars as former Olympic Bronze medal winning gymnast, Hope. She's bitter that her career was suddenly cut short by injury and she feels she was dumped by her coach. Hope now lives in her small town living off her celebrity and constantly haranguing her caring Dad (Gary Cole). She's also very jealous of the bubbly Maggie (Haley Lu Richardson) who looks set to becoming the town's next famous gymnast. Hope is tricked into coaching Maggie in the expectation of big money and by doing so learns the happiness that comes from being kind. There's a romance side story that is kinda sweet and a rivalry with smarmy coach Lance (Sebastian Stan) with whom Hope has a one nighter in a bizarre sex scene. This is an entertaining film, a little clichéd at times and with a good message although the comedy is intermittent and Hope's foul mouthed character is often a little too harsh to be funny enough. Worth checking out though.