Has anyone seen the movie The Edge?
- Thread starter amykaren
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
Renting is cheaper than buying like I did---but I have no regrets. It is a spoof of local to regional skating competitions with the various typical characters, the good, the bad, the fat. While I found it somewhat entertaining, it did not elicit any real belly laughs. I would say that adults who participate in the skating scene (parents of skaters or skaters themselves) will appreciate the subtle humor and stereo characters. Lots of skating on the ice!
If they keep statistics on such things, rent it, so that the movie powers know that skating flicks are worth producing....it is a B- movie. No where near the classics (Ice Castle, etc.) but a nice viewing.
If they keep statistics on such things, rent it, so that the movie powers know that skating flicks are worth producing....it is a B- movie. No where near the classics (Ice Castle, etc.) but a nice viewing.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
it's got cameo appearances of Kristi, Steven Cousins, Peter Carrusthers... and Scott Hamilton has a bit part, doesn't he?
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
The I.M.D.B. currently lists two reviews of this film. One of them is absolutely glowing, the other trashes it to bits. Here is the positive review:
ON EDGE is the WAITING FOR GUFFMAN for the figure skating world.
Hard to say who is funnier, Jason Alexander as the Zamboni driver at a two-bit SoCal skating rink, or Scott Hamilton in disguise as an insane amateur skating judge. Both serve as commentators who guide a documentarist/professor (played by up-and-coming comic Chris Hogan), as he tails three hopefuls vying for the regional figure skating championship. Seen at the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen last week, this film played to a full house. Everyone laughed at the funny bits -- and a couple of women seated near me actually cried at the heart-stopper of a false ending.
Excellent performances combined with strong storytelling all point to primo directing by Karl Slovin, who covers skating from a couple of striking new angles (literally, some gorgeous birds' eye view photography). There's good broad comedy from John Glover as the crazy Russian rink owner and Wally Langham of HBO's Larry Sanders Show fame playing a coach -- but the standouts here are the utterly convincing AJ Langer, a Tanya Harding worth rooting for, and Barret Swatek, the cold beauty.
The story, which at first blush seems quite familiar, sneaks up on you and defies pat answers because the characters show unexpected depth. At first I was surprised by some of the plot points -- but on second thought they not only made perfect sense, but they conveyed an actual moral. While none of the characters is a saint, about the time you get to your car you realize that the gal who wins is the only one who fights fair. Music and Editing keep ON EDGE on pace -- none of the usual snail-slow indy bog, unlike more celebrated films at this festival.
And here is the negative one:
Whoever wrote the positive comment on this movie had to be working for the production company. This movie was so mean spirited, stupid, and unfunny. How many more fat jokes could they make? What was up with the gross character played by Scott Hamilton? He should be ashamed for making this movie. How could Kristi and Tai want to be associated with this disaster? What happened to Jason Alexander's acting skills? Did he leave them all on the set of Seinfeld?
It didn't gently and affectionately poke fun at the sport, like Bring it On did for competitive cheerleading. It consistently stressed that all skaters are bulimic psychopaths, all the mothers are desperate middle aged hags trying to regain their lost youth, and all the judges are biased snobs whose scores can be bought with sexual favors. I was waiting for the gay jokes to come out but with no male skaters I guess the writers just couldn't figure out how work them in. I am not against dumb but funny movies, but this movie was just depressing.
Don't waste your time.
ON EDGE is the WAITING FOR GUFFMAN for the figure skating world.
Hard to say who is funnier, Jason Alexander as the Zamboni driver at a two-bit SoCal skating rink, or Scott Hamilton in disguise as an insane amateur skating judge. Both serve as commentators who guide a documentarist/professor (played by up-and-coming comic Chris Hogan), as he tails three hopefuls vying for the regional figure skating championship. Seen at the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen last week, this film played to a full house. Everyone laughed at the funny bits -- and a couple of women seated near me actually cried at the heart-stopper of a false ending.
Excellent performances combined with strong storytelling all point to primo directing by Karl Slovin, who covers skating from a couple of striking new angles (literally, some gorgeous birds' eye view photography). There's good broad comedy from John Glover as the crazy Russian rink owner and Wally Langham of HBO's Larry Sanders Show fame playing a coach -- but the standouts here are the utterly convincing AJ Langer, a Tanya Harding worth rooting for, and Barret Swatek, the cold beauty.
The story, which at first blush seems quite familiar, sneaks up on you and defies pat answers because the characters show unexpected depth. At first I was surprised by some of the plot points -- but on second thought they not only made perfect sense, but they conveyed an actual moral. While none of the characters is a saint, about the time you get to your car you realize that the gal who wins is the only one who fights fair. Music and Editing keep ON EDGE on pace -- none of the usual snail-slow indy bog, unlike more celebrated films at this festival.
And here is the negative one:
Whoever wrote the positive comment on this movie had to be working for the production company. This movie was so mean spirited, stupid, and unfunny. How many more fat jokes could they make? What was up with the gross character played by Scott Hamilton? He should be ashamed for making this movie. How could Kristi and Tai want to be associated with this disaster? What happened to Jason Alexander's acting skills? Did he leave them all on the set of Seinfeld?
It didn't gently and affectionately poke fun at the sport, like Bring it On did for competitive cheerleading. It consistently stressed that all skaters are bulimic psychopaths, all the mothers are desperate middle aged hags trying to regain their lost youth, and all the judges are biased snobs whose scores can be bought with sexual favors. I was waiting for the gay jokes to come out but with no male skaters I guess the writers just couldn't figure out how work them in. I am not against dumb but funny movies, but this movie was just depressing.
Don't waste your time.
Ok so I rented it and this movie stunk so bad I have to clean my DVD machine now (LOL)! 
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2004
It depends on your age and relationship with skating and understanding that this is a spoof, it is not meant to be real...don't take it so seriously!!
Years ago, SOI did a spoof of the olympics and the judges, etc. It was along the same line of exaggerated stereotyping with humor and it was fabulous. Everyone remembers that number as being one of the bit highlights of SOI programs.
No this is not a good or great movie and I also have seen much worse with skating themes. For others who have yet to see it, perhaps the producers web page might help them decide or offer some understanding about how the movie came about. I remember tracking their web page for almost 2 years waiting for the movie to become available. Sorry I don't have the link..perhaps a google search might bring it up.
Years ago, SOI did a spoof of the olympics and the judges, etc. It was along the same line of exaggerated stereotyping with humor and it was fabulous. Everyone remembers that number as being one of the bit highlights of SOI programs.
No this is not a good or great movie and I also have seen much worse with skating themes. For others who have yet to see it, perhaps the producers web page might help them decide or offer some understanding about how the movie came about. I remember tracking their web page for almost 2 years waiting for the movie to become available. Sorry I don't have the link..perhaps a google search might bring it up.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
Fun and Games... one of the all time best SOI group numbers!
"They say behind every great man, is a great woman... well, behind every great skater is... a skating mother!"
"They say behind every great man, is a great woman... well, behind every great skater is... a skating mother!"
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2004
Sorry to bring up such an old thread but...
I just rented it, and I thought it was rather entertaining... as a movie buff I have to admit that it is horrid, but as a skating fan I loved every horrid min.
I just rented it, and I thought it was rather entertaining... as a movie buff I have to admit that it is horrid, but as a skating fan I loved every horrid min.
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2003
I rented this movie a couple of weeks ago and it was hilarious! definitely in the vein of 'Waiting for Guffman' and 'Best in Show', meaning, if you're expecting real depictions of skating, or would be offended by sendups of skating stereotypes, you will be very disappointed. But I thought the film showed a real love of skating, underneath all the jokes.
Scott Hamilton looked like he had the time of his life - but the best was seeing Kristi, Tai and Randy and Peter Carruthers judging the regionals! And AJ Langer was great.
I love that all the jumps in this movie were doubles (only showed a bunch of double toes and one or two double salchows), but "The Triple" (the secret weapon only 2 skaters had) was a triple AXEL! The tv movie Tara was in a few years ago was the same way - the only triple anyone talked about doing was a triple axel (all female skaters). Since the only people who know the difference between the jumps are skate fans, it's funny that the one triple the ladies in these movies seem to be able to do is the only triple that 99% of ladies don't do!
guinevere
Scott Hamilton looked like he had the time of his life - but the best was seeing Kristi, Tai and Randy and Peter Carruthers judging the regionals! And AJ Langer was great.
I love that all the jumps in this movie were doubles (only showed a bunch of double toes and one or two double salchows), but "The Triple" (the secret weapon only 2 skaters had) was a triple AXEL! The tv movie Tara was in a few years ago was the same way - the only triple anyone talked about doing was a triple axel (all female skaters). Since the only people who know the difference between the jumps are skate fans, it's funny that the one triple the ladies in these movies seem to be able to do is the only triple that 99% of ladies don't do!
guinevere
