Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

I love a good spy movie, and who doesn't love slow-moving pieces driven mostly by dialogue. Okay, I may be alone on the second one. Anyway, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy managed to walk that line as closely has possible without falling off, only swaying from side to side.

Circa 1973, a British Intelligence agent is shot and wounded during a botched mission in Hungary. As a result, the head of the agency (aka The Circus) and his right-hand man George Smiley (Gary Oldman) are forced into retirement. It wasn't long though before Smiley is brought out of retirement to look into an allegation by agent Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy) about a high-ranking mole. Smiley soon starts interviews with all the higher ups in the Circus. But each one of them seems to be more suspect than the last. In the meantime, Tarr's story about how he's come to believe in the mole's existence gets deeper and deeper. Smiley keeps getting answers, but not all of them are ones he wants to hear. These men are some of best colleagues he's ever worked with, how could one of them turn on the agency?

While Gary Oldman was great in this movie, I was really hoping for slightly more. As I mentioned before, this was a very slow moving film. And I didn't have a problem with that. My problem was how the plot kept jumping back and forth, almost intentionally confusing the viewer. I understand it's a whodunnit, but there has to be a focused plot line that can be followed. Plus, as in any good spy movie, I expected some twists and turns. TTSS didn't really have any. It walked the straight line of mediocrity without moving at all. It's a good film, nothing more, nothing less. Grade: B-

Good Hair (2009)

My interest in this movie wasn't so much about the history and culture behind the hair of African-Americans, but more so with Chris Rock. The topic of the movie, while somewhat appealing, is a little dull. But Rock's humor and direction helped this move along at an amusing rate.

According to Chris Rock, the idea for the documentary came about after his young daughter asked him, "How come I don't have good hair?" After that, Rock heads to find out what black people go through to style their hair, and more importantly, why they do it. Rock tackles the topics of identity, conformity, attitude and wealth when styling hair. His journey takes him to Atlanta, North Carolina and even India. The latter of which is where most of the world's human hair gets imported from. Rock interviewed several celebrities, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, Ice-T and Nia Long to see when they first started getting their hair styled and how they did it. But the core focus of Rock's documentary is the Bronner Bros. annual hair show in Atlanta. This event features a spectacular display of hair cutting that really needs to be seen to be believed.

Chris Rock is lucky he's a very funny man because without his often hysterical voiceovers, this documentary wouldn't be half the movie it is. That being said, the film chose to highlight certain scenes that perplexed me. They'd spend a lot more time than necessary discussing a certain topic. I thought they should've been out demonstrating what had been talked about, but that wasn't done often. The best parts of the movie involved either Dr. Maya Angelou being questioned about her hair or Rock's trip to India. While good and worthy of a recommendation, this documentary was far from great. Grade: B-

Red State (2011)

Kevin Smith. Not a name synonymous with the horror/thriller/psycho genre but nevertheless, he gave it a go with Red State. Not a bad movie by any means, but he should stick to his comedies.

Travis, Jared and Billy Ray, three high schoolers in search of sex, borrow a car and travel out into the country to meet with a woman offering to them a night they won't soon forget. The teens arrive at a trailer and meet Sarah (Melissa Leo). She tells the boys to drink beer in order to get their treat, but the booze is spiked and the three of them pass out. When they come to, they realize they are at the mercy of Abin Cooper (Michael Parks) and his church of religious nuts. The revelers are prepared to sacrifice one of the boys when a local deputy disrupts the service. Once the law finds something amiss, all hell breaks loose and the boys are running for their lives while the local sheriff calls for help from the ATF. Agent Keenan (John Goodman) and his men quickly realize the situation is going to go from bad to worse if they don't take immediate action. But between the guns, the zealots and the law, what could possibly end up going right?

This movie had enough action and pretty solid dialogue to keep me interested, but the lack of plot really hurt some sections of the film. I loved the idea of a Westboro Baptist Church-type group being involved in a scheme like this, but some of the back stories and characters seemed thrown together just for the sake of having them. Kevin Smith is a talented writer/director, and he navigated the action scenes very well. On a scale of Smith movies though, I'd rank this probably right in the middle, between Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Jersey Girl. Smith fans should like this, but they may be the only ones. Grade: B-

The Way Back (2010)

This is an amazing true story about a group of men who traveled hundreds of miles by foot to escape a Russian Gulag during World War II. The movie on the other hand doesn't come across the same way.

A Polish POW named Janusz (Jim Sturgess) is sent to the camp for 20 years after his wife is forced to condemn him. Inside the Gulag, he meets an American named Mr. Smith (Ed Harris), a Russian criminal named Valka (Colin Farrell) and several others who tell Janusz he shouldn't expect to live those 20 years. Janusz decides he needs to get home to make sure his wife knows he bears no ill will over the forced confession. The group implement their escape plan during a massive snowstorm. Thus begins their journey through the Siberian wilderness. They know not all of them will make it, but they also know none of them will make it if they don't keep moving. The party reaches the Russian-Mongolian border and continues across the mountains until eventually reaching a more treacherous task, the desert. By now, some have died, others have turned back and the rest are unsure where to go from here.

This movie builds and builds to a big sentimental moment, and then payoff doesn't deliver. It's a terrific story of survival, determination and love, but the film just glosses over scenes that could've made it have a better impact. Sturgess, Harris and the rest of the cast give strong performances, and the cinematography is amazing, but most of it is wasted. I didn't hate the movie and I didn't love the movie, it just was. Grade: B-

She's Out of My League (2010)

Jay Baruchel is not a leading man, I'm just going to throw that out there. Television? Sure, but not on film. That being said, this movie wasn't half bad.

Kirk Kettner (Baruchel) is a TSA agent at Pittsburgh's international airport along with his best friend Stainer (T.J. Miller). Kirk just broke up with his bitch of an ex-girlfriend, who still hangs out with his family because now she's dating a friend of Kirk's brother. One day, Molly (Alice Eve) leaves her iPhone at a security checkpoint. When she calls it, Kirk answers the cell and the two arrange to meet up. After that the pair start to date and things are going great. But Kirk is constantly asking himself how he's good enough for Molly. Kirk puts her up on a pedestal while subsequently knocking himself down the ladder. His family and friends aren't much help because they seem to agree that she's way too good looking for him. Kirk's a victim of his lack of self-esteem and it soon starts costing him. All of this is done with some funny consequences.

The movie is not made by Baruchel at all. It's a collective of Alice Eve, Krysten Ritter, Nate Torrence, Debra Jo Rupp and especially T.J. Miller that made this movie as funny as it was. This comedy was not without its problems though. For starters, the plot's been done to death, with this one being about the guy who wants the "more attractive" girl. I've seen a lot of the devices used in this done before, but the one-liners kept some moments fresh. A solid movie, nothing more nothing less. Grade: B-

HappyThankYouMorePlease (2011)

Remember Garden State? Well, Josh Radnor does. He managed to write, direct and act in a movie that has the same vibe.

Seven people whose lives intersect in New York City try to make their way through life. Each of them isn't succeeding as they'd hoped. Sam (Radnor) is a struggling writer who had his latest attempt rejected by a publisher. His best friend Annie (Malin Akerman) has Alopecia and both is and isn't afraid for it to be seen. Sam is also caring for a young boy who became separated from his foster family on the subway. Meanwhile, his cousin Mary Catherine (Zoe Kazan) and her boyfriend Charlie (Pablo Schreiber) are stuck in a New York/Los Angeles debate that could have negative ramifications on their relationship. These five individuals are the core of a group that wants to stay as close as possible without totally interfering in each others' lives. But every time something good happens for one of them, multiple seemingly bad things follow. Maybe they're just kidding themselves.

This movie was good, but could have been a lot better. Each actor had great moments that were counteracted by some bad ones. The dialogue seemed very stilted and often lazy at times. The best character, hands down, was Sam #2 played by Tony Hale. He had equal parts strength and depth that made him very enjoyable to watch. I liked this probably more than most, but this won't make any top ten lists. Grade: B-

Fast Five (2011)

Believe it or not, this really is the best movie of a Fast and the Furious franchise. I was surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did.

After Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) and his crew break Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) out of jail, they go on the lam. They wind up in Rio and quickly get a job boosting cars from a train. Of course, the cars aren't as they seem and the crew gets on the bad side of a major crime lord. Meanwhile, US authorities including Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), are fresh on O'Conner and Toretto's tail. So, the gang decides to play both sides against each other, while at the same time pull off an Ocean's Eleven style heist to take the kingpin's money. They're going to need help, so they enlist the services of their cohorts from the other Fast movies. It may be working, it may not. Then again, maybe that's the point.

"The Rock" was such a boost to this film. With Diesel and Walker having a wooden-acting staring contest throughout, throwing a dose of charisma in there helped immensely. The plot was not perfect, not at all, but it was solid and a hell of a lot of fun. Hopefully, this is the end of the crew's capering because the filmmakers should stop on a high note. Surprisingly, I recommend this movie. Grade: B

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

This was a very deep, spiritual movie that had many cosmic undertones to make it a cinematic masterpiece...I can barely write that without laughing. The title says about all you need to know about this flick.

Adam and Nick (John Cusack and Craig Robinson) come rushing to the side of their friend Lou (Rob Corddry) when the hospital thinks he attempted suicide. In an effort to make him feel better, they decide to head back to the ski resort that was party central in 1986. Tagging along is Adam's nephew Jacob (Clark Duke). When the four of them arrive, the town is a rundown mess that no one visits now. Low and behold, they get drunk and into a hot tub that (TAH DAH) sends them back in time. Now, they need to do everything exactly as they did in '86 in order not to disrupt what happens in the future. That means; one night stands, drugs, fights, drinking, musical performances, arm-detachments, etc. Can this foursome of destruction get everything done correctly and in time to make it back to the future?

Funny performances all around with a plot that you'd suspect from a movie named Hot Tub Time Machine. Craig Robinson was the MVP of the film. He had the best story and did the most with it. Props for the bits with Chevy Chase, Crispin Glover and 80s movie bad guy William Zabka. Not the best comedy of 2010, but solidly humorous and genuinely ridiculous. Go into this with a blank slate. Grade: B

Unstoppable (2010)

This is your basic action movie, but it had enough to keep my interest, and it was better than Tony Scott's last film The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. It captured my interest throughout.

Frank Barnes and Will Colson (Denzel Washington and Chris Pine) have set out to move line of train cars from one end of the track to another. Also, they don't really care for each other. Barnes is a career railman, while Colson took the job as something to do. While they're on the trek, another train carrying cars full of hazardous materials is barreling down the tracks straight toward them. Bigger problem: No one's at the helm of the runaway train. The first step is to make sure they can get out of the way before the cars run straight into them. When the plan becomes a disaster effort, Barnes and Colson decide to take matters into their own hands and track the sucker down. They need to make sure they do it before the train reaches an impossible turn in a densely populated area. Game on.

Again, this was a basic, but very enjoyable action flick. There was enough suspense and intensity to keep me glued to the screen the whole time. Speaking of time, it was also the right length. Any longer or shorter would have detrimentally hurt the film. The biggest problem I have, and it was noticeable, was the amount of moving panoramic shots. I understand they're used to build suspense, but they just made me dizzy. Also, they're unnecessary while people are just talking. That being said, most action fans should enjoy this. Grade: B

The Kids Are All Right (2010)

This is the perfect embodiment of a movie that was good, but way overrated for its own good. I don't see how this is so loved or how Mark Ruffalo got an Oscar nod for it.

Jules and Nic (Julianne Moore and Annette Bening) are two normal, everyday lesbians who have two high school aged kids via a sperm donor. Nic is the breadwinner of the two, working as a doctor. Jules is the free spirit trying to figure out the perfect start-up business. She feels unappreciated by her wife and just wants her approval. While they're dealing with their own problems, the two kids decide to get in contact with their donor, Paul (Mark Ruffalo). Paul agrees and the two parties really start to hit it off. A little too much with Jules as the two start an affair together. She just appreciates someone who appreciates her, and he just seems to think he turned a lesbian straight. They may not be able to reel it in and stop the sex before Nic and the kids find out.

It wasn't a bad movie, it was good. But it was not nearly as good as I thought it was going to be. Bening was great, and definitely deserves her nomination. Moore was fine, but I thought she was out-acted by Mia Wasikowska, who played her daughter. Ruffalo, oh boy. I like Mark Ruffalo as an actor, but the fact he beat out Andrew Garfield's performance in The Social Network with this just upsets me. Watch it, but don't believe the hype. Grade: B

Dinner For Schmucks (2010)

It's funny how one actor as funny as Steve Carell can have so many okay-to-good movies come out in one year. Date Night, Despicable Me and now Dinner For Schmucks. I will say that this was right in the middle of the pack.

Tim (Paul Rudd) works as a mid-level employee who thinks he's finally got an idea to put him one floor up and with the hot shots. He manages to impress his boss, but not enough to immediately promote him. First, he invites Tim to a monthly dinner all the executives have where the goal is to bring the stupidest person they can find. Tim reluctantly agrees, but isn't sure where to find an "idiot." Then, he hits Barry (Carell) with his car. He finds Barry to be the perfect person to bring to the party. Soon enough, he realizes that Barry, while dimwitted and a bit slow, is a well-intentioned person with a lot of heart. Will Tim be able to go through with the dinner now?

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It wasn't great by any means, but it was a solid comedy with great supporting hilarity from Zach Galfianakis and Jemaine Clement. Carell was basically playing a dumber version of Michael Scott from "The Office," but it still managed to feel original enough to not get lost in that. I recommend it, but don't expect genius level comedy. Grade: B-

Please Give (2010)

I really liked the writing in this movie, and I think Catherine Keener is a terrific actress, but my problem with this movie is that there really isn't one likable character to hold my interest.

Kate and Alex (Keener and Oliver Platt) own an upscale furniture resale shop where they get all of their vintage pieces from the family of recently deceased elderly people. They get a pretty penny for them, too. At the same time, they know their aging neighbor is on her way out, life-wise, so they are starting to think of what they are going to do when they buy her place after she dies. Both of those things cause Kate to feel a tremendous amount of guilt and she tries to counteract that by giving money/food to homeless people or volunteering wherever she can. Neither of those things always go so well for her. On top of all that, their daughter is a spoiled brat who doesn't understand that $200 or $30 jeans look the same, Alex begins to have an affair with one of the old neighbor's granddaughters (Amanda Peet), and rival boutiques are starting to poach her shop. You know Kate's breakdown is going to come sooner or later, it's just a matter of how she handles it when it does.

The movie was so well written that I can't say I didn't like it, and the performances were very good in it. My problem was that every character was either a bitch or a complete slave to their lack of self esteem that it was really off-putting at times. The story was well-rounded and there was closure for a lot of the characters at the end, but I'm just curious if they learned anything when it was all said and done. I wanted to like this more than I did, but it's nothing more than just a "good movie." Grade: B-

Despicable Me (2010)

This movie was a lot better than I thought it was going to be, but it was just a good flick. It's a perfect family movie with some great voice work and yet, it falls a bit short for the adults.

Gru (Steve Carell) was once a great super villain. His work, while good, is often expensive and with little payoff to the people who bankroll his evil endeavors. After an up-and-coming super villain named Vector (Jason Segel) gains international acclaim by stealing the Great Pyramid, and the bankroller has decided to back him, Gru has to thwart Vector's new found success by stealing his newly acquired shrink ray. After many failed attempts by Gru, three orphans selling cookies manage to get into Vector's house. What's an evil villain to do? Why, adopt the orphans, of course. He sees them as a means to an ends in getting back the notoriety he once had. However, as time wears on, he finds himself becoming more and more attached to them. Will his evil handywork then begin to suffer as a result of his newly formed feelings?

I really like the idea of an anti-hero hero in kids movie like this but, as an adult, I thought the story was way too fast moving and I have no idea how any of the orphans or Gru became so attached so fast. The audience should be able to feel it as well, and I didn't. That being said, this is a great kids movie. Kids will love Gru's Minions and their nonsensical chattering and I did enjoy the action in the movie. Don't expect anything great, but I do say see it. Grade: B

Get Low (2010)

Oscar season tends to bring out the best in movies that are not as good as the performances in them. This movie is again the case with a great performance by Robert Duvall but a slow moving film, to say the least.

Circa 1930, Felix Bush (Duvall) is a hermit. He lives in a house on 20 some acres in the far end of town. He's the type of person children heard stories of as being a monster. The type of person who has a reputation and does nothing to help clear it. After hearing an elderly man in town died, he realizes he must not have that much time left either. He asks the cash strapped funeral director Frank Quinn (Bill Murray) to help him throw a live funeral, so he could hear the stories people had to tell of him. To up the ante, he is also going to raffle off his land during the proceeding. However, when the sister of the woman he used to love shows up, he realizes that this is the time to get a horrible secret of his chest. And he needs her and the whole town to hear it and perhaps change their perception of the crazy old coot who lives in the woods.

Robert Duvall was terrific. Just the speech he gives towards the end alone is Oscar worthy, though I know he may not even get nominated. Bill Murray and Lucas Black were good as the funeral workers who must put up with him. What hurts the actors chances is the slow and almost dull pace of the movie. Not every movie needs to be consistently moving, but there needs to be something gripping you during those down times. This movie did not have that. See it for the performances, but don't expect a whole lot else. Grade: B-

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I (2010)

I liked this movie, but I was not thoroughly impressed. I was hoping it would build on the Half Blood Prince, which I thought was the 2nd best of the franchise. It was great to see how dark and subversive the actors can get for a "kids" book.

As Lord Voldemort is gaining power, he is going to use any means necessary to obtain and kill his nemesis, Harry Potter. This means that Harry and his friends must go into hiding. The Dursleys abandon Harry and Hermoine makes it so her parents have no memory of her ever existing. Let the life on the run begin. With the Death Eaters closing in and surrounding the group, the main three decide to run off on their own, disapparating from place to place in an effort to destroy all of the remaining Horcrux. But the effects of the horcrux are beginning to take hold of Harry, Ron and Hermoine. Jealousy and betrayal begin to rear their ugly heads and now they must weather to battle within themselves, as well as surviving a life on the run. All of this is will come to a head in Part II.

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have made such strides as actors since this series began that they were more than capable of putting this movie on their shoulders and, with this movie, the standout was Grint. He went through a range of emotions that was both frightening and impressive at the same time. It helped because for long stretches of this, I was bored. The actions and intensity of certain parts made up for it, and I know it's building towards a sequel, but it was still no fun for parts. That being said, I am excited for the conclusion of the franchise. I do recommend this, but heed my previous warnings.

Iron Man 2 (2010)

Was this as good as the first one? Absolutely not. But I still had fun watching this. Robert Downey, Jr. is great as Tony Stark, no matter how good or bad the movie.

Now that the world knows that Tony Stark is the Iron Man, they know to avoid him. However, even with international crime down by a substantial margin, Congress calls Mr. Stark in for a subcommittee hearing to try and get him to turn over the iron man suit to the US Army. Tony refuses saying that the technology for people other than himself to make a suit similar is still years away. In Russia, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) sees the hearing and decides he needs to get revenge on Stark because Vanko's and Tony's fathers worked together before a rift was created. In 6 months time, Vanko creates a machine crudely similar to the Iron Man and gets into an epic battle with Tony in Monacco. After seeing this, Congress demands the suit and gives the contract to make more to Stark's rival Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell). After that, Tony goes into a tailspin and doesn't know what to do. One thing is for sure, he needs to stop Hammer from completing his project. But now that he's gone off the deep end, can he hold it together long enough to stop him.

This was a fun movie. The substance was there for a great sequel, but it was not executed as well as it should have been. Everything moved so fast from Point A to B to C in what seemed like no time. It was visually pleasing though. As for Rourke, his Russian accent was OK. There were times I believed it, and other times it seemed forced. Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson and Don Cheadle were all great additions to the cast, but my favorite may have been Garry Shandling as the Senator who had it out for Stark. All in all, fun but not as good as the first.

Alice In Wonderland (2010)

I was told you love this or hate it and yet I'm caught right down the middle. I really liked some parts of this, while others I didn't. Tim Burton just seemed a shade off his game on this one.

At age 20, Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is set to be engaged to her beau. Problem being, she doesn't want that. It's at that point when she notices an oddly familiar rabbit in a waistcoat. She follows him to a tree and, you guessed it, down a rabbit hole. While down in Wonderland (it's actually Underland, apparently I've misunderstood), she does not believe the sight of it. A talking dormouse, flowers with faces on them and the Bandersnatch that almost kills her...it's all too much to be real. When she meets the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp), it's definitely got to be a dream. As her journey progresses, things start to seem familiar to her...as if she'd visited this place before but that couldn't be possible. Once she meets the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter), that's when it starts getting real.

I was very intrigued by the idea of Alice returning to Wonderland and this not being and exact copy of the 1950s animated movie. I mean it has the Cheshire Cat and the Tweedles, but there are many differences. The thing that threw me out of it was that it was clearly made with 3-D in mind. Tim Burton's got the talent to make a movie and have 3-D follow him, not the other way around. At least Avatar gave you the feeling of a movie first. The other thing, this is NOT appropriate for young kids. How it got to be PG, I have no idea. Still, I do recommend it, but my mind may change on later viewings.

Invictus (2009)

Clint Eastwood can direct a movie and there is no debate about that. While this was a good movie, it was definitely one of Eastwood's weaker efforts. Not for lack of trying though.

The film begins in South Africa circa 1994. Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) was released from prison after 27 years for opposing the country's segregationist rules of Apartheid and, between 1990-1994, Mandela develops a following and is elected president of South Africa. The country is still racially divided though. The evidence of this is country's rugby team the Springboks, led by Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), and for now, they suck. But Mandela has hope that they will pull together and unite the country when they host the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Oddsmakers had the Springboks as a good chance to make it out of the first round, but that was it. Since it's a true story, nothing should be ruined for the viewer. For one tournament, the country can forget their troubles.

The "not for lack of trying" that I was talking about was the acting. Great performances from both of the leads which, not surprisingly, led to Oscar nods for Damon and Freeman. The problem with this was that I didn't feel the story was portrayed as inspirational as it clearly was intended. I say watch this, but don't expect the same work you saw from Eastwood in Mystic River, Unforgiven, or even Changeling. It just won't add up.

The Slammin' Salmon (2009)

Not Broken Lizard's funniest outing, but definitely had the best plot for any of their movies. The jokes aren't as spitfire as Super Troopers or as nonsensical as Club Dredd, but they are still there if you like their other films.

Former boxer Cleon "Slammin'" Salmon (Michael Clarke Duncan) opens the Slammin' Salmon restaurant in Miami to try and make it the newest swanky hotspot. The Broken Lizard crew make up the waitstaff along with Cobie Smulders and April Bowlby (both of "How I Met Your Mother" fame). One is the floor manager, one is a faux-playboy, one is an ex-actor, one is sprung on the job last minute, and one is Nuts...literally, that's his name. All of the waitstaff is trying to get a take of $20,000 in one night, but for reasons of which they are unaware.

The reason this has a better plot than the rest, I feel, is because Kevin Heffernan ("Farva" from Super Troopers) is behind the camera his time and not Jay Chandrasekhar, who has directed all the groups previous films. The almost consistently low-brow humor is still there, with some slapstick thrown in. It may upset some, but that's there style of humor and they're staying in their wheelhouse. Good movie, but don't go in expecting top notch stuff.

Whip It (2009)

This was a fun time at the movies. Nothing great, nothing bad, just a fun time. Drew Barrymore did a fine job in her directing debut. Much better than Michael Keaton and John Krasinski's 2009 ventures.

Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page) is from a small town in Texas and has ambition to leave that small town. Unfortunately, that probably won't happen. Her mother (Marcia Gay Harden) is constantly making Bliss try and relive her own pageant glory days. Whether it's her fault or not, they never seem to end well. By chance, her and her best friend head out to a roller derby in Austin. It's there where she sees Maggie Mayhem (Kristin Wiig) and the rest of the Hurl Scouts whip around the derby track and leave carnage in its place. Bliss lies about her age in order to try out for the team's open spots and, while shaky and small, her speed lands her a spot. While she's having the best time of her life on the track, it's only a matter of time before her parents find out about the brutality and the team finds out she's not who she says.

There were some trouble spots in the story of the movie, some plotlines that were either glossed over or completely skipped but, that doesn't diminish the fun time I had watching this film. The skating action scenes were well shot and very entertaining. There was no overwhelming quality to this film and I'm sure it won't go down on a list of best movies but, Barrymore's directing skills are on the up & up and she has the talent to make another good movie.