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BY MAGGIE SCOTT

There’s a new Rocky on the block, and she’s fighting to honor a dead brother’s athletic legacy and the belief he had in his kid sister. “Gracie” is not your typical sports underdog-wins-big story. It’s about the journey of a girl becoming a woman and a daughter healing a broken family.

Donny told Gracie (Carly Schroeder), “You can do anything.” He was the captain of his high school soccer team and the apple of his father’s eye. Bryan Bowen’s own young hopes of athletic glory were dashed by injury, but he channeled his passion for the sport into his son with backyard drills and unswerving support.

When Donny’s promising life was cut short by an auto accident, life in the Bowen household became frozen in angry grief. Brian (Dermot Mulroney) believes his dreams died with Donny. He can’t see that they are being born anew in his daughter. When Gracie dramatically announces that she will play in Donny’s place, laughter and “You’re not tough enough, they’ll cream you” is the response she gets.

Mom (Elisabeth Shue) understands, but can only offer the defeatist attitude about women’s potential that she grew up with. Dad ignores Gracie’s dogged backyard practice, telling her his grandmother could “knock down the goal with her purse.” Gradually, Gracie starts to drop out of life.

School, boys, friends all fail her, as she looks for affirmation of her worth and is put down at every wrong turn. Finally, Dad gets it. He’s got to put aside his own prejudices and fears regarding his daughter. Maybe she can do it. But, she’s got to have somebody there for her…all the way. The drills have got to be about the body and the spirit. She’s got to have her family rooting for her, even as they see her nose rubbed in the dirt by the guys on the team who think Gracie’s a joke. Even when her father’s faith falters at one point, Gracie persists. She files an appeal with the school board and uses some brand new legal muscle: Title IX.

Gracie proves she’s a fighter, but the battle still has plenty of skirmishes to go; and there are still people willing to take her down a peg or two. Then, the ultimate test: Gracie and the team take on the school that played against Donny the night he died. Donny is there in spirit—Coach gives Gracie her brother’s jersey. Can he give her the moment where she can prove what Johnny always believed: his sister can do anything?

Schroeder is a glowing screen presence—the embodiment of the character’s name. With sensitivity to all the nuances of rebellion, despair, stubbornness and yearning that an adolescent is capable of, Schroeder transforms an occasionally sappy drama into an inspiring gem. A Picturehouse Entertainment release, rated PG-13 for brief sexual content.
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