The reason these formulaic films work is they give sports fans what we want: a hard-working underdog we can root for and a sense that the sports we love have some deeper meaning.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 8, 2018

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 18, 2011

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 17, 2011

Gritty girl soccer drama with a powerful message.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 18, 2010

When you wake up after napping through this earnest timewaster, you'll feel relieved, but you won't know why. Here's a clue: Gracie can't bend it.

| May 5, 2010

A gutsy performance by Carly Schroeder is the high point of this likeable story about a girl with a dream

| Oct 31, 2008

In addition to Carly Schroeder's performance, the highlights are its honesty, willingness to show real family struggles, and the gradual way Gracie achieves success.

Full Review | Original Score: 76/100 | Sep 17, 2007

A wholesome female empowerment adventure, and one very likely to resonate with youngsters of both sexes in the pre-teen crowd.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Sep 16, 2007

It's too bad that Gracie's story seems bent on staying on the surface of such familiar turf, rather than digging deeper to reveal what propels her.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 1, 2007

The movie treats Gracie as a cause rather than an impassioned athlete.

Full Review | Jun 25, 2007

Ends up more like a middling after-school special than an insightful look at family dynamics.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Jun 22, 2007

Bruce Springsteen has even given the film his own rare seal of approval by providing a song for the soundtrack -- something he almost never does. See that? Even the Boss likes Gracie.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Jun 22, 2007

[Actress Schroeder] gives Gracie a credibly rugged edge, building her into a mini-tower of blond ambition and almost rescuing the role from cliché. Almost, but not quite, not when burdened with a script so proudly rooted in uplift's trite traditions.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Jun 22, 2007

Though predictable at virtually every turn and almost relentlessly sentimental, Gracie ultimately establishes itself as a surprisingly moving and compelling story

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jun 22, 2007

It's a nice film and the Shue family, honestly, they should be proud of what they've done.

Full Review | Jun 18, 2007

Lindsay suggests -- during the inevitable mother-daughter heart-to-heart -- that Gracie persist despite the many odds because Lindsay did not.

Full Review | Jun 9, 2007

Despite flaws, though, this stirring independent production is remarkable for its honest portrayal of a family grappling with grief and a female taking the penalty kick to score points for gender equity.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jun 9, 2007

Ultimately, "Gracie" scores as a feminist inspirational sports film.

| Original Score: 2.6/4 | Jun 8, 2007

This labor of love from the Shue siblings is a better than average sports movie. More than that, it's about a family pulling together to help one member achieve her dream.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Jun 7, 2007

Making the team and playing in the big game grab the headlines, but the repaired relationship at the heart of Gracie shows that there are bigger prizes than kicking a ball around a field.

| Original Score: B- | Jun 5, 2007