Watch American Anthem

In 1986, the sports movie "American Anthem" was released, directed by Albert Magnoli and written by Evan Archerd. The film stars Mitchell Gaylord, who was once known as the "Michael Jordan of gymnastics," and Janet Jones, a former dance star who went on to marry hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. In addition to Gaylord and Jones, the movie features actors Tiny Wells, Michael Pataki, and R.J. Williams.

The movie tells the story of Steve Tevere (played by Gaylord), a young gymnast who is trying to make it to the Olympics. Steve was once a top gymnast, but quit the sport after his father (played by Michael Pataki) died in a car accident. Now living in Los Angeles with his mother and stepfather, Steve is working as a mechanic and trying to forget about his gymnastics career.

One day, Steve meets Julie Lloyd (played by Janet Jones), a former dancer who is now a gymnastics coach. Julie sees potential in Steve and tries to get him to start training again. At first, Steve is hesitant, but eventually he agrees to start training with Julie.

As Steve begins training for the Olympic trials, he finds himself falling for Julie. However, Julie is already in a relationship with another gymnast named Kyle Breen (played by R.J. Williams). Kyle is Steve's biggest rival and is also trying to make it to the Olympics. As the competition between Steve and Kyle heats up, Steve must confront his feelings for Julie and his fears of failure.

One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is the final gymnastics routine that Steve performs at the Olympic trials. The routine is set to the tune of the Star-Spangled Banner and features Gaylord performing incredible flips and twists. The routine is a testament to the hard work and dedication that Steve has put into his training, and it is a tribute to the American spirit.

Overall, "American Anthem" is an inspiring movie about the pursuit of excellence and the importance of never giving up on your dreams. The movie features some impressive gymnastics scenes, and it has a heartwarming romantic subplot that adds depth to the story. While the movie may be a bit cheesy at times, it is a fun and entertaining sports movie that will leave you feeling motivated and inspired.

American Anthem is a 1986 romance movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 42 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.8.