Fast Girls (2012)

This film really gave me the impression that the creators really didn't know that much about athletics and just made this purely to cash in on the UK's Olympic hype. Fist of all it's implied that the main character is relatively unknown in athletics and springs out of nowhere to become part of the team GB World Championship athletics team. Yeah, that's not really how it works, if she was already getting times that were good enough to be in the running for a team GB place, people would have known about her. She would already have competed in many national competitions and made a name for herself before qualifying for Great Britain.Also the fact that they go on a night out and drink alcohol literally the night before an international competition doesn't make much sense. If that was how the GB team operated in real life, I'd be very worried, therefore it's obviously just a plot device put in place to create conflict failing to reflect any sort of reality.However those are just little gripes. What really brought this film down was the clichéd plot points. We've got the arguments in the team which threaten to stop them winning, the forced romance which breaks down due to a misunderstanding and character arcs like the main character not working well in teams and the rich girl whose father does away with her if she doesn't win. These have all been done before, are executed poorly in this film and lack any depth as we know full well what will happen the moment we see them.They could have included an interesting plot point which connects to athletics, such as the main character being offered performance enhancing drugs or maybe delving deeper into how the main character got into running. But no, you could pretty much put this film's storyline into any sports movie and it would still work. Well, I say work, what I mean is produce the same forced and bland garbage that these kind of films have developed into over the years.All in all, the characters have no chemistry, the film is detached from reality and the plot points are very predictable. Do I really need to tell you what happens in the end? Didn't think so.

Co-written by Noel Clarke Fast Girls is a female lead sport films that follows all the clichés and conventions associated with the genre. Starring Lenora Crichlow as tough girl Shania Andrews, a runner from a tough area of London who gets a chance for glory on the international athletics circuit and her middle-class rival Lisa Temple (Lily James) who share a mutual dislike for each other. Even worst for the two is have to run together in the British relay team at the international championships and have to overcome their differences to succeed.Running (pun unintended) at a brisk 90 minutes Fast Girls leaves no stone unturned in the myriad of clichés it encounters on its journey, Shania getting corrupted before a big meet and underperforming because of it, misunderstandings between the team, a lead character quitting before having to come back and a disastrous performances before success at the final. It is truly paint-by-numbers screen writing, a Mad Libs versions of the script where people can just feel the gaps. You will just sit through the film bored because it is so predictable.It is the first film to be directed by Regan Hall and his direction is very bland. There is no invention to the film, the sports scenes are just shot in slo-mo to try and add excitement and it he clean he was working on a very low budget. He does not show much potential at this moment in time.The best aspect of the film is the acting, getting talent like Crichlow and the glorious Lily James to lead the film. Crichlow was been a competent performer on TV and she provides the goods. James had the most interesting character, being made out to be a villain yet given some depth because she is living in the shadow of her father, a champion athlete who forces her to become a runner, uses his position to ensure she gets preferential treatment, disliked by her teammates and feels she has to win to please her daddy. She could have been the main character of the film and it would have been more interesting to have it from a middle-class perspective.Fast Girls was made cash in for the 2012 London Olympics and it shows, being a cheap production that wants to tell the most unoriginal film possible. It was a film that earned plenty of 3 star reviews in the UK but it deserves to fall into obscurity.

First of all let me say that this review probably won't portray this film particularly fairly. I should never have watched it to begin with. Fast Girls is clearly aimed at the younger generations - probably from age 10-17. For they will never have seen much like it before and enjoy the characters and soundtrack (mainly hip hop - I believe, but then again, I probably couldn't recognise hip hop if it hopped up and down on my head).Fast Girls is about a poor girl from a run down area of London who just happens to be exceptionally fast. Therefore she qualifies for the British athletics team and goes away to train with them. However, there's a spoilt, blonde rich girl who got an A* in bitchiness for her GCSEs and loves nothing more than running down (no pun intended) anyone she perceives as poor, faster than her or from a run-down area of London - ooh-er, there could be friction here.So, our poor, fast heroine from a run-down part of London must prove herself both socially and on the track. Not to mention become friends with the bitchy rich blonde girl. Do you think they manage to live happily ever after? Well, that depends on whether you've ever watched a film before. Only children may wonder whether it's all going to end smelling of roses.Fast Girls is marketed as a 'feel good' film. I suppose it is. It (coincidentally!) came out around the same time as the London 2012 Olympics and does its best to cash-in on the general sporty mood of the nation.In short. I hated this film. It's packed full of clichés and it's not even funny. But then I seriously doubt that I was ever the intended audience. I should probably chalk it up to a lesson on checking out a film before I watch it to make sure that it's more something I'd enjoy.However, like I say, for the younger (less cynical) generations, it's probably got everything they could ever want - strong female role models, a love story and great (if you like that sort of thing) music to accompany it.4/10 from me.8/10 for anyone under 17 (I am now officially speaking on behalf of the youth of today!)

With the London Olympics fast approaching, what better way to cash in on the mood with a film about Female Athletics....that doesn't mention the Olympics at all or make any references to London. Nevertheless, the story is enjoyable, depicting a group of athletes trying to win relay success at the ''world championships'' despite having barely any practice, getting drunk before races and generally arguing with each other. Classic British spirit there.Our main characters Shania and Lisa, come from different backgrounds, Shania is working-class (we know this, as she claims she's never even been on a plane before!) whilst Lily is posh and supported by her family. Ignoring the fact that this is basically Bend It Like Beckham 2, the story works like a soap, at times it felt like an Olympic special of Eastenders, even featuring the actress who played ''Chelsea'' in the soap. There's drama, affairs and fights, alongside the minor issue of the actual Athletics. Written by Noel Clarke (Kidulthood/Adulthood creator), the film is very fast paced, and has that ''urban'' soundtrack to please teenagers. It essentially does what it says on the tin and you will find yourself caring about who wins the big race at the end!6/10