Motorcrossed

Stephanie Bradt: Our next film was Motocrossed (2001). I can’t help but wonder: Was this always that bad? Am I just an old grouch now? This was one of my favorite DCOMs growing up. I have always enjoyed plots involving women trying to make their way in a man’s world. Girl Power movies. I also remember thinking the boys were cute. Andrew and Andrea Carson are twins who love Motocross.

Unfortunately, their dad is, at best, “old-fashioned,” therefore only Andrew is allowed to participate in competitions. The dad is as competitive with his son’s racing (which is also part of the family business) as he is fiercely protective of his daughter. So, Andrew is the one who is going to race in the tournament to hopefully win a sponsorship for the family. When Andrew (should I call them Andy and Andi?) is injured during practice, it seems all is lost, but wait! It turns out if Andi cuts her hair and dons sunglasses, she is unrecognizable as the fairer sex. Here is Andi’s chance to finally race with the big boys. Eventually her brothers and then her mother find out, but they sympathize with her and recognize that she is the better racer, so they help hide the ruse. Eventually, the secret gets out, but by then everyone is inspired by Andi and on her side and everyone is happy.

 Some of my thoughts:
 • Andrew and Andrea? Andy and Andi? Really?
 • The use of another popular plot point: the disguise that seems to fool everyone except the viewer. Just like how Superman and Clark Kent look absolutely nothing alike because Clark wears glasses and Superman does not. I had trouble getting past it this time around.
 • I always thought the love interest and the twin brother looked alike, which is super weird
 • The French kid that is supposed to race in her place is such an over the top, snobby European movie villain. He is best described by Andy and Andi’s fun little brother: “You think, like, anyone in France actually misses him?”
 • The dad is kind of emotionally abusive to Andi—he blames her for her brother’s injury. He tells her that he wants her to “start concentrating on things a 15-year-old girl should be concentrating on!” (Which is what? Make-up? Boys? You’d think the dad would be happy his daughter has a hobby she is passionate about). He also makes her give up her bedroom, out of the entire rest of the house, for French Jerk! And then even when father and daughter make up at the end, he tells her that, in fact, he always wanted a daughter instead of a son…because then he wouldn’t have to worry about her doing motocross and getting hurt. (!)
 • The love interest is instantly attracted to Andi when he meets her as Andi, even though she doesn’t look that different from Andi as Andy. And then when he finds out Andy is Andi, he gets over it quickly and the flirting commences.
 • It just ended too neatly. The whole family was pretty deceptive, and everyone was automatically okay with it.


Jordan Bradt:  This was my movie back in the day!  It made me, a total girly-girl, want to get into dirt bike racing.  I remember telling my parents I wanted a dirt bike.  They were all for it and I was so excited.  Of course, nothing ever came of that.

I wanted to love this movie so much.  My three-year-old walked out after 5 minutes, so I watched it alone, and...well...I didn't like it so much.

How did they afford that huge house, pool, and all that land if Dad had quit his job and Mom didn't work?  They didn't have the sponsorship yet.

Would the sponsorship really have given them enough money to continue their lifestyle that way?

The beginning of the movie made it sound as if Dad never let Andrea race...so how was she so good?

Mom was such a weakling in the beginning.  I hated how meek she was whenever Dad went on a tirade.  She sort of got a backbone at the end, but the relationship didn't feel healthy.

Dean is AMAZING.  He is my new favorite DCOM crush.  He and Andrea worked so well together, and they supported each other 100%.  I want a sequel where they are raising their kids to be motocross stars.

I appreciated that Andrea didn't win her first races.  The way she fumbled was so realistic.  The others racers were realistic too, and I liked the feminism of the movie.  It was done in a tasteful way.

The ending brought back all the warm excitement I'd felt watching it as a kid.  For a second, I even wanted to get into motocross again, haha!

Would I watch it again right away?  I would.  Do I recommend it for preteens?  Definitely.