The characters in this movie are not complicated and pretty much what one would expect from TV writers. The story centers around Kylie Shines, the daughter of famous HOF race car driver Al Shines. Kylie lives with her aunt who has raised her since her mother died from ovarian cancer, a disease which plagues family TV specials. She is estranged from her father as she blames him for not being there (he was racing!) during important events in her life. The spoiled Kylie, who is successful in the junior circuit gets a chance to race with the big boys. The racing team which sponsors her father has canned him and replaced him with his daughter Kylie. She has a mechanic, who is in love with her, who she believes she needs for her race car. Meanwhile she meets Kid Walker (Jeff Gordon clone) a playboy and successful race car driver who beds her early on as she falls in love during two music montages. The movie climaxes with a publicity race between Kid, Kylie, and Al. No plot twists. The performances are okay and at times Michelle Trachtenberg acts as if she is trying out for a role on Nickelodeon. The movie is more about Kylie then race car driving. No nudity (old guy in underwear, suggested nudity), no sexual scenes (two people kissing in bed) and the "A" word is the worse language. Very PG rating oriented.
8 Reviews
Not sure why would someone make a movie like this
ana-anastasijevic19 December 2018
It is so bad, that I can hardly believe that someone got resources to make it. So full of cliches and so empty. I was making subtitles for it, otherwise I would never watch it till the end. Acting is terrible, story is empty, don't waste your time on this.
What a tragic waste of money
Sjhm9 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
From the cardboard cutout cast to the horrible cliché-ticking script this movie is terrible. The lead is an insipid and immature out of the gate. Her friend who follows her around like a faithful spaniel, has a painfully obvious crush on her. The boy racer strikes the plastic fantastic perfectly. Then we have the hackneyed daddy issues, the overweight, yet cunning team owner trying to play Mephistopheles. The caring aunt. There is nothing in this mess that is new or original, or even that entertaining. It is actually difficult to find anything that is really positive to talk about. It only takes the big boss wheeling out the two little children before the start of the final race to complete the box tick list. If you really have nothing better to do with your time, the best that can be said for this is that it is mostly bland and inoffensive. But I would give it a miss.
Waste of time...
shoppaboii21 August 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I was out shopping and I ran into the dollar tree for a few minutes and happened to come across 'The Circuit'. For one dollar I said why not? I watched half of it and fell asleep. It's honestly a very pointless and boring movie. I was expecting it to be a little better and funnier but it's awful. I wasted a whole dollar on this DVD. The acting was okay but not the best. It could've been better but I can see why it was made for TV. I didn't like the actress playing the aunt character. She's a terrible actress. The story is stupid. The movie is about a woman named Kylie and her dad has never really been there for her because he's always out racing. He ruins his career and Kylie takes his place. A lot of father-daughter competition and it's not interesting at all. Don't waste your money on this movie. Not even a dollar.
Rolling Thunder, v2.00
annevejb9 August 2010
My first review of this reminds me too much of my comment re Black Christmas and this and Clausen's Pier do have common elements in that they are less appealing than some. They are a long way from the magnetism of Pete And Pete or Can't Be Heaven (2000) or Buffy or Beautiful Ohio (2006) or EuroTrip or Ice Princess or 17 Again.
The Circuit often appears to be at the level of Trachtenberg's best, then it goes weak. Some viewings I can find the whole thing watchable, if patchy. Other viewings I feel a need to look at a different feature instead.
The real positive aspect is that for a fan this is now available on DVD, not as an Ultimate Trach but as part of the whole thing. There is still Trach stuff that is not available, but 2010 saw things open up a bit more. Some actors, one can find it difficult to find this sort of second tier stuff.
The Pete, Pete cannon allows Rolling Thunder to be many different and opposite things. The Circuit has that sort of mixture, but if I return to it occasionally there might not always be a need for disappointment.
The Circuit often appears to be at the level of Trachtenberg's best, then it goes weak. Some viewings I can find the whole thing watchable, if patchy. Other viewings I feel a need to look at a different feature instead.
The real positive aspect is that for a fan this is now available on DVD, not as an Ultimate Trach but as part of the whole thing. There is still Trach stuff that is not available, but 2010 saw things open up a bit more. Some actors, one can find it difficult to find this sort of second tier stuff.
The Pete, Pete cannon allows Rolling Thunder to be many different and opposite things. The Circuit has that sort of mixture, but if I return to it occasionally there might not always be a need for disappointment.
really enjoyed it.
jewelch8 April 2021
So unrealistic
lerdahldan20 February 2023
I race late model and so many things about this movie was extremely unrealistic. For one, the helmets. For a racing movie made in 2008 and the helmets look like 80s style. Al's car has a newer looking ABC body on it while Kylie's car had what appeared to be a body from the mid to late 90s. I know it's just a movie but after Earnhardt's fatal crash in 2001 you would think you'd see drivers with Hans Device on in a 2008 film. Also, during racing scenes, I swear the cars appeared to be going no faster than 40 mph. Days of Thunder by far is still the best racing movie though the movie, "Short Track" is a lot better short track late model racing film!
Crash and burn!
deathslastbreath16 February 2020
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