Personal Best
When you run into yourself you run into feelings you never thought you had.
The directorial debut of Chinatown Oscar winner Robert Towne is a bracing celebraion of athletes who live the way they play: with toal passion. Mariel Hemingway plays a promising hurdler who finds needed emotional and athletic seasoning with a caring mentor (Patrice Donnelly). After the two fall in love, their relationship is threatened as both vie for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.
Personal Best's human insights make it compelling for more than just sports fans. Months of training build into explosive moments of competitive truth. Cameras capture the charged atmosphere of the 1980 Olympic Trials. And world-class athletes (including Olympians Donnelly, Jodi Anderson and Kenny Moore) excel as actors, bringing to the set the same poise they show on the track.
Member Reviews
A Somewhat Voyeuristic Look At A Complicated Relationship - revsdd
In 1982 this movie would have seemed both voyeuristic and gutsy, featuring as its "hook" a lesbian relationship between two young athletes. In 2010, it no longer seems gutsy - so that aspect is simply voyeuristic, although it leads to a sometimes interesting portrayal of a complicated relationship. As Tori and Chris, Patrice Donnelly and Mariel Hemingway both put on decent performances. Tori is a veteran pentathlete, while Chris is young and unsure of herself. The two link up, become friends and ultimately lovers - which creates complications as the personal, romantic relationship competes with the competitive, athletic relationship.
This is a strange movie from the start, as the opening credits roll in white letters on black background with no musical accompaniment. That created an almost foreboding sense - although there's nothing foreboding about the movie. There's a number of scenes of total female nudity in the steam room after training sessions especially, although that didn't really strike me as gratuitous - it was natural to the circumstances. The sexual relationship between Chris and Tori isn't graphically portrayed, although there is nudity and affection shown between them. The development of their relationship with its growing competitiveness as Chris develops into not just a lover but an athletic rival is interesting.
As sports movies go, this lacks any real drama. The final part of the movie, depicting the 1980 US Olympic Trials, is a bit of a drag, and poorly developed. At one point Chris is 6th and disappointing, while Tori is 3rd and very competitive. Then, all of a sudden, Chris is second and challenging, while Tori's on the verge of dropping out. How did that happen? Much of this closing is also filmed in slow motion, which doesn't make it any more exciting.
This is an up and down movie at best.Personal Best - Cnitb4
I have to admit my initial impression was that this was a mainstream version of an exploitation flick: plenteous nudity, girl-on-girl action, etc., but there's enough real drama here to make you forget that "Hemingway" is still only a household name thanks to Papa, R.I.P. The real story, after all is said and done, is about pain and how people get through it. Olympic atheletes have to get through more than most, and that's *before* they get to the stadium. Mariel Hemingway was a mannequin, a prop really, but the background players have enough stuff to keep this movie alive through some pretty realistic, read tedious, scenes on the way to the historically predetermined anticlimax.Great for it's time... - Wentai
A great sports film showcasing a beautiful woman, this movie delivers.
Oh and about this film -- I recommend it to any woman, especially if you are a feminist or anything like that. Personal Best is a redeeming and heartwarming story. I liked it.
Member Reviews
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A Somewhat Voyeuristic Look At A Complicated Relationship - revsdd
In 1982 this movie would have seemed both voyeuristic and gutsy, featuring as its "hook" a lesbian relationship between two young athletes. In 2010, it no longer seems gutsy - so that aspect is simply voyeuristic, although it leads to a sometimes interesting ...Personal Best - Cnitb4
I have to admit my initial impression was that this was a mainstream version of an exploitation flick: plenteous nudity, girl-on-girl action, etc., but there's enough real drama here to make you forget that "Hemingway" is still only a household name thanks ...Great for it's time... - Wentai
A great sports film showcasing a beautiful woman, this movie delivers.
Oh and about this film -- I recommend it to any woman, especially if you are a feminist or anything like that. Personal Best is a redeeming and heartwarming story. I liked it.