We are all watching the Olympics and obsessing about the Olympians, but what happens to them years later when they are no longer competing. The Bronze, that is out now on Home Video, tells the story of one such athlete who brought home the third place medal.
Hope Annabelle Greggory (Melissa Rauch) won The Bronze Medal in Gymnastics at the 2004 Olympic. While almost everyone has forgotten about her, she is still a star in her hometown Amherst, Ohio. Being a star doesn’t mean she is making any money, so she has to live with her dad (Gary Cole) who is also having financial difficulties.
Then one day, when her old coach commits suicide, she gets the opportunity that will solve her financial woes. If she coaches another hometown athlete, Maggie Townsend (Haley Lu Richardson), to the Olympics, then she will get $250,000. She accepts the challenge, but the foul-mouthed, bitter former Olympian comes up with a plan to get that money even quicker. She coaches sweet Maggie with all the wrong techniques like sleeping late, eating whatever you want and dating boys. Thinking if she knocks her out early, then she will get the money sooner. Nope, she has to go all the way to get the money and now it is time to get serious. No more late mornings, fast food and boys, it is all training, all the time for Maggie.
When it comes to Hope, Lance Tucker (Sebastian Stan), the man who took her virginity, is back in her life and they hate each other. He won the Gold and Silver at that Olympics but all anyone cared about was Hope. He is doing everything he can to sabotage Hope and Maggie.
As they get closer to Olympic Gold, Hope realizes that Maggie will steal whatever limelight she has left in Amherst. Will she destroy Maggie to keep whatever fame she has left or will she share her glory?
I didn’t know what to expect from The Bronze and for some reason, I was expecting to hate it. I was shocked to find out how much I actually adored it. I laughed, I cried and I laughed some more. It comes off as hard and gruff, but it truly has a lot of heart. So much so, that makes this movie endearing in its own special way. We think of movies about the Olympics to be sweet and innocent. This is anything but, and the different take is very refreshing. Especially, when you get to see what happens when two former Olympic gymnasts have sex. It is most original and amazing sex scene I have seen in a film since I don’t when. I gave it 10s across the board!
Let The Bronze do a dismount into your video collection because you are going to watch it over and over again. Just like a gymnast spinning over and over again on the pole vault.
