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It is 1978 and girl’s still have limited sports in America’s schools. The story of Gracie is based on the real-life story of actress Elisabeth Shue. Shue’s brother was the sports star in their family, but died in a tragic accident. When Shue wanted to play on the varsity soccer team, she was rejected and ended up playing girls field hockey. In “Gracie,” the lead athlete in the Bowen family is Johnny, the soccer star. There are three boys and one girl (Gracie, played by Carly Schroeder from television’s “General Hospital.”) The film shows what happens when the family pins their hopes on one family member and neglects others. Parents want to live through their children and sometimes, it isn’t pretty.

Gracie begins with the friendship between Gracie and her older brother, Johnny. He recognizes her sports ability, but no one else seems to notice. Johnny dies in an auto accident and not only the school mourns, but the Bowen family is devastated. Gracie wants to take Johnny’s place on the varsity soccer team, but she has no coach, no one believes in her and she really doesn’t believe in herself. The boys on the team make fun of her, and her own younger brothers are just plain brats. Gracie’s Mom (Elizabeth Shue) let a changed career and marriage direct her hopes elsewhere and she doesn’t want that to happen to Gracie. Dad (Dermot Mulroney) is dense when it comes to daughters and still grieves for his lost son. Even Gracie’s best friend (Emma Bell) tells her to do another sport like field hockey, but Gracie slowly begins to train for soccer try-outs, having to fight the school system all the way. When it comes to tough, girls have to be tougher than tough.

Carly Schroeder is good as Gracie. She has athletic ability and you can believe she could get on that field and really play soccer. Elisabeth Shue has a back role as Mom, but her moment shines when she tells the school board why she believes in her daughter. Dermot Mulroney lives and breathes sports, and the term “be kind to daughters” is not in his gene pool. Mulroney does this part well. The rest of the cast is supportive including coaches (one is Andrew Shue), school mates and teachers. 

What Gracie amounts to is this: with Title IX in place at that time, why can’t girls play equal sports? There is a certain form of etiquette on the playing field, which is---don’t rough up the girls. This mindset on both sides of gender will have to be re-evaluated. One of my favorite scenes is when Gracie goes before the school district to plead her case and the judge is a woman.  The playing field has just been equalized.

Gracie strays from the good side to test the waters on the bad side. Frustrated girls turn to cigarettes and sex, though Gracie still has good sense. Carly Schroeder doesn’t do as well in these scenes and seems to try too hard to look “bad.” She is at her best on the soccer field. By the way, the soccer photography is first-rate and the training sequences will make you tired.

Gracie turns out to be a good story of a young woman who wants to follow in her brother’s path, but in her own way. Sometimes leaders have to be discovered and discovered by the right people. You will learn what the term "cradle an egg" really means.

Copyright 2007 Marie Asner