Roll Bounce

Had some pacing issues but overall a pretty good movie.

Fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun and more fun!

This is a stupid movie but with a lot of great people in it

Leave it on the rink. So this is about a teenager (Shad Moss) in the summer of 1978. His friends all skate, but their favorite rink closes for good. They are down, but not out, so they go across town to another rink. The only trouble is that they are not the kings of this new territory. Now, my wife has recently become big into skating over the pandemic, and she has been fully committed to the craft. My feet aren't made to be on wheels, but I have peripherally picked up an appreciation for skating along the way. She wanted to show me this movie over the weekend, and of course, I was open to it since I will give anything a shot. Even though I don't have a background in skating films, this movie felt familiar, and I mean that in a good way. I noticed a key element early on that led to me enjoying myself as much as I did. For all intents and purposes, this hits the same exact beats as a dance film. Roll Bounce is like any given Step Up movie, except on skates. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure, but I typically have fun with dance movies, and I enjoyed myself watching this. Both this movie and dance movies know why you're here. You want to see some jaw-dropping skating moves or somebody getting served like it is nobody's business, and in that regard, Roll Bounce delivers. Granted, it only takes up a portion of the overall film, but the same can usually be said about dance movies as well. You're not really here for the story, it just can't be terrible, and the one that is present here is passable. I feel that Shad Moss AKA Lil' Bow Wow AKA Bow Wow is a better actor than he gets credit for. I believe that he did the majority of his own skating moves, and that gives him a bit of street cred. He is the star and the anchor of the movie, although I will say that the majority of the performances here feel a bit Disney Channel, even from the recognizable faces who have moved on to bigger and better things. I will say that it is a bit dated; even coming out in 2005, there are some lines and insults that didn't age well. There is smack talk with every confrontation, which is welcome, but still, there are some lines that are cringe-y from a racial standpoint. Even with that said, I feel like the jokes land more often than not, and they would regularly catch me off guard with a punchline or a zinger. I appreciated that this was both written and made by black people, so it does ring authentic, especially given that this is a pastime that has its roots and origins overlooked with regularity.

Boring movie. Not worth watching.

Feel-good flick is fun but nothing special.

Lil Bow Wow stars in this teen drama about a group of teens growing up circa 1970s who rule the world of roller skating. This film has its moments but it's basic melodrama for the most part.

this we'll I guess I was Bow Wow's daughter on rollbouce

Great little flick, great tunes.

Brilliant cast that made a good movie.