American Anthem: The Best of GymCastic

GymCastic: The Gymnastics Podcast

The year: 1986

The film: American Anthem

The quality: low

Spencer and Jessica spend way too long this week on a deep dive into what is perhaps the most significant film in the gymnastics pantheon, teen sports-drama-romance American Anthem.

Jessica lovvvveeed this movie as a middle schooler. Spencer hates everything. It's gonna get good.

We discuss it all: very excellent gymnast acting, backlit hair and 13-foot-wide denim jackets, THE TRIFFUS OF MURRRDERRR, an 11-week-old Jenny Rowland putting Daniela Silivas to shame, the lovely and sensitive handling of domestic abuse (jk it's monstrous), storing your grips IN THE LEAVES, excessive gymnastics grunting sounds, and the true hero of this story—Becky Cameron.

*originally recorded in April 2020

Join Club Gym Nerd (or give it as a gift!). It includes:

• • Weekly Q&A Behind The Scenes podcast, dedications, mini-commissions , group commissions, exclusive extended interviews, and College & Cocktails episodes. Plus discounts and first dibs on Live Show tickets and merch.
  • Exclusive VIP section on the message board Forum
• More goodies:
  • GymCastic newsletters
  • 2024 College & Cocktails menu (including mocktails, of course)
  • GymCastic Fantasy Games
  • GymCastic Store: clothing and gifts to let your gym nerd flag fly and even “tapestries” (banners, the perfect to display in an arena) to support your favorite gymnast!
  • Baseball hats available now in the GymCastic store

COMMISSIONED EPISODES

• Gymnastics Dumest Rules
• GymKata starring Kurt Thomas
• A Quitters Try: The CNN Parkettes Documentary
• The Leotard Episode
• Uncle Tim's Mythbusters
• The 1992 Barcelona Olympics with Wendy Bruce
• Find them all here