Free Style 2008

Amy Nicholson, Boxoffice Magazine: A film Barack Obama would approve of screening for Sasha and Malia -- there's even a jab at private health insurers. Read more

Mike Hale, New York Times: Free Style is about motocross and stars Corbin Bleu of the Disney Channel repertory company, two facts that might lead you to expect a certain kind of film. Read more

Drew Toal, Time Out: Anyone over the legal voting age will have to suffer through "valuable" life lessons to get to the sick two-wheel aerials. Nothing ever comes for free. Read more

Tom Keogh, Seattle Times: If the world truly needs a family-friendly drama built around motocross racing, it might as well be Free Style, a wholly competent film from journeyman director William Dear. Read more

Scott Tobias, AV Club: Establishing some rooting interest in an underdog like Bleu's character is essential for movies like this, but not to the point where needless subplots about his mother's relationship with the local sheriff is more vital than putting rubber to dirt. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: You don't have to be a swooning teenage girl to be enamored of Free Style and its heartthrob actor Corbin Bleu. Read more

Adam Markovitz, Entertainment Weekly: The plot of Free Style, lifted wholesale from any number of kid-with-a-dream movies, unfolds just the way you think it will... until the climax turns out to be even cheesier than you feared. Read more

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: The movie revels in that kind of good-natured, sitcom-style corniness. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Bleu remains one to watch, but only real fans will want to watch this. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: Bleu's cute-but-bland act flatlines in every scene of a movie with a script that is a perfect match for his abilities. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: There are some charming actors in this movie, all dressed up but with no place to go. Free Style is remorselessly formulaic, with every character and plot point playing its assigned role. Read more

Vadim Rizov, Village Voice: Lower-class rage is addressed in a fashion that most movies -- let alone family ones -- shy away from. Which doesn't make this a good movie, but at least it has something on its mind. Read more