Hope Ann Gregory (Melissa Rauch) became the star of the 2004 Games in Rome when she tore her Achilles tendon on the balance beam, but went on to perform her uneven bars routine landing on one leg and securing the bronze medal for her team. She is the hometown hero of Amherst, Ohio and milks this title for all it’s worth. When her former coach dies, and offers her a monetary windfall to continue coaching the upcoming superstar Maggie, Hope reluctantly agrees. Along the way back to the big show as a coach instead of an athlete, Hope comes to terms with her new status and even finds love along the way, all while side-stepping Lance (Sebastian Stan) the rival coach who can ruin her potential future in gymnastics.
THE BRONZE is like an anti-sports movie that is still lovable and gives you someone to root for at the end of the film even though they really don’t deserve it. Melissa Rauch does an excellent job playing the spoiled and entitled former gymnast who still lives with her dad (Gary Cole) and gets by each day doing unspeakable acts in the name of being a superstar. Sebastian Stan (aka The Winter Soldier) plays her nemesis Lance, a former gymnast who won a gold and silver at the same games Hope was in, but didn’t get the attention like her because people cared more about women’s gymnastics than men’s and he’s still bitter. Both of these actors did a good job with their characters and were appropriately spiteful and jeering towards one another. Thomas Middleditch, who played Ben the love interest of Hope, also did well, but his character’s tick was almost too distracting and painful to watch, it was obviously supposed to be the point of his character but if he would have dialed it back a bit it would have been just as effective. As for Haley Lu Richardson, who played Maggie the up and coming gymnast, she did a fine job and was appropriately irritating and a nice opposite of Hope’s cynicism. Gary Cole did an excellent job as a doting father who is fed up with his spoiled adult daughter and has a strong attachment to his goldfish. As for Cecily Strong, her name is on the cover of the Blu-ray but she surprisingly had a very small role, apparently the studio was hoping to reel in more viewers by showcasing her involvement. She did fine for what she was given, but I almost wish she had a bit of a bigger part even though it would have disrupted the flow of the film.
THE BRONZE is one of those films that is fun to watch, but will really only delight a small audience. If you like raunchy humor and gymnastics, then this film is for you. It’s light and fun and easy to watch, but I’m guessing a lot of people who are not fond of the subject matter or the actors will pass it by, which is too bad. I can see myself coming back to this because Hope’s witty and ignorant taunts and comebacks are something I wish I was brave enough to say to people myself sometimes.
BLU-RAY REVIEW
Video: THE BRONZE has a bit of an indie feel to it and therefore the video clarity isn’t going to blow anyone away. But it’s fine for the kind of movie it is.
Audio: The audio was also fine.
Deleted Scenes (6:40): Five deleted scenes that worth watching but added nothing important to the film.
The Bronze trailer
Previews