Main Cast: Amy Jo Johnson, Brett Cullen, Wendie Malick, Ray Baker, Tara Boger
Release Year: 1997
Country: US
Run Time: 88 minutes
Plot
Throughout her life, young gymnast Andie Burton (Amy Jo Johnson) has dreamed of going to the Olympics, and there isn't anything she wouldn't do to achieve that goal -- even if it means wreaking havoc upon her health. Reprimanded by her coach for being on the "heavy" side, Andie goes to great lengths to lose weight. Finally, her teammate Leslie (Tara Boger) clues Andie in on a surefire method to drop pounds: eat all you want, then purge yourself. As a result, Andie develops a serious eating disorder, fluctuating wildly between anorexia and bulimia -- and there seems to be no way to reverse the damage, nor halt the pressures brought to bear by those supposedly looking out for her best interests. Real-life gymnast Cathy Rigby makes a brief appearance in this cautionary TV movie, which first aired September 8, 1997, on NBC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Andie Bradley (Johnson) is a gymnast with big dreams for the Olympics. When offered to work with one of the leading coaches in the U.S., she gratefully accepts. This requires her to move from Portland, Oregon to Seattle, Washington. When she gets to the gym, she is scrutinized by the coach about her weight and feels the pressure to lose the pounds. At first it's just dieting, but it soon leads to anorexia. When she meets a fellow team member, Leslie (Tara Boger), she realizes there are ways around it. "You can eat what you want, and not gain a pound." Andie continues with her diet, but once she can't handle it she turns to purging methods. Her mom notices changes in her weight, while her boyfriend and best friend also notice changes in her attitude. Andie eventually comes out to her best friend, telling her that she sees the changes and can't stop her behavior.
After fainting twice during gymnastics competitions, injuring herself the second time, Andie's parents decide that they should move back home. Andie runs away to the gym, where she sees a new girl being given the same lecture about her weight that was given to her. She decides that she is not ready to go back to training. After moving back to Portland, Andie joins a support group where she is encouraged to eat as part of her therapy. At the end of the movie, she is seen walking into the school gymnasium and getting back on the balance beam.
