I usually avoid films of this genre because they're so obviously pretentious, slap-dashed together with dumb plots, goofy dialog, and stupid jokes spoken by unrealistic people whom I could never identify with. How many viewers could, anyway?
Nevertheless, I made an exception with Skatetown U. S. A. As I only wanted to see what role perky Maureen McCormick would play following her long stint in The Brady Bunch TV series (which, by the way, I never watched either). I expected another Sally Field type, I suppose.
In Skatetown U. S. A., McCormick plays Susan, the presumed roller-skating partner of her brother Stan, played by Greg Bradford.
I say "presumed" because, oddly enough, Susan never actually accompanies Stan in any of the scheduled skating competitions whatsoever! Instead, despite the fact she's dressed up as a hottie-cutie-pie, she is inexplicably presented as overly-flirty, superficial eye-candy who, even more inexplicably, in the plot ends up supporting and aligning herself with the competing skating team, here played by Patrick Swayze and his crew. And, as if that's not bad enough, it even looks and sounds as if she's stoned in a scene where's she's sitting in a stolen car next to one of Swayze's toadies who she has somehow "fallen for".
I haven't read McCormick's autobiography yet, so I'll have to find out what, if anything, she has to say about Skatetown U. S. A.
More about the plot, why was it even necessary for Swayze to bully and threaten everyone (often with his switchblade knife!) when he was clearly shown to be the most talented skater? In fact, neither Stan nor any of the other contestants in the movie were that memorable to begin with.
I could be wrong, but I even have my doubts that Greg Bradford himself did any actual skating in the contest. Since he wore a white eye-mask and was in the distance, it could very well have been a body double performing. Furthermore, it's entirely possible that McCormick herself had little to no roller-skating talent, which would explain why her scenes were so minimal.
With Susan having irresponsibly disappeared from sight at the critical moment when Stan was required to perform with her as his registered skating partner, he ended up partnering instead with Swayze's sister (!), of all people--a situation that logically would have disqualified Stan as a contestant to begin with!
I'm not sure that a PG rating would make it acceptable for children. Since other commenters have pointed out various features of Skatetown U. S. A. That make one groan, I'll leave it here.
Nevertheless, I made an exception with Skatetown U. S. A. As I only wanted to see what role perky Maureen McCormick would play following her long stint in The Brady Bunch TV series (which, by the way, I never watched either). I expected another Sally Field type, I suppose.
In Skatetown U. S. A., McCormick plays Susan, the presumed roller-skating partner of her brother Stan, played by Greg Bradford.
I say "presumed" because, oddly enough, Susan never actually accompanies Stan in any of the scheduled skating competitions whatsoever! Instead, despite the fact she's dressed up as a hottie-cutie-pie, she is inexplicably presented as overly-flirty, superficial eye-candy who, even more inexplicably, in the plot ends up supporting and aligning herself with the competing skating team, here played by Patrick Swayze and his crew. And, as if that's not bad enough, it even looks and sounds as if she's stoned in a scene where's she's sitting in a stolen car next to one of Swayze's toadies who she has somehow "fallen for".
I haven't read McCormick's autobiography yet, so I'll have to find out what, if anything, she has to say about Skatetown U. S. A.
More about the plot, why was it even necessary for Swayze to bully and threaten everyone (often with his switchblade knife!) when he was clearly shown to be the most talented skater? In fact, neither Stan nor any of the other contestants in the movie were that memorable to begin with.
I could be wrong, but I even have my doubts that Greg Bradford himself did any actual skating in the contest. Since he wore a white eye-mask and was in the distance, it could very well have been a body double performing. Furthermore, it's entirely possible that McCormick herself had little to no roller-skating talent, which would explain why her scenes were so minimal.
With Susan having irresponsibly disappeared from sight at the critical moment when Stan was required to perform with her as his registered skating partner, he ended up partnering instead with Swayze's sister (!), of all people--a situation that logically would have disqualified Stan as a contestant to begin with!
I'm not sure that a PG rating would make it acceptable for children. Since other commenters have pointed out various features of Skatetown U. S. A. That make one groan, I'll leave it here.