An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars |
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Directed by | Vince Marcello |
Screenplay by |
Jessica O'Toole Amy Rardin |
Based on | McKenna by Mary Casanova |
Starring |
Jade Pettyjohn Ysa Penarejo Nia Vardalos Ian Ziering Cathy Rigby Kerris Dorsey George Chiang |
Music by | Timothy Michael Wynn |
Production
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Distributed by | Universal Pictures Home Entertainment |
Release date
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Running time
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91 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars (released in PAL territories as American Girl: Shooting for the Stars) is a 2012 American family-drama film starring actress Jade Pettyjohn, Ysa Penarejo,Cathy Rigby,Nia Vardalos, and Ian Ziering. This film is based on the McKenna books in the American Girl series written by Mary Casanova. The film is also the second in the series to feature a Girl of the Year character, the first being Chrissa Stands Strong, and is the sixth film in the American Girl series overall.
The film revolves around the life of McKenna Brooks, as she struggles to balance her time at school and in her career as a gymnast. The screenplay was written by Jessica O'Toole and Amy Rardin. The movie was directed by Vince Marcello.
A free screening of the film was held at the Tysons Corner Marriott on July 21, 2012, as part of a promotional package by American Girl and Marriott.
In the Shooting Star gym. McKenna Brooks is practicing her back handspring on the beam. Coach Isabelle Manning tells McKenna that the move she's doing is too advanced. McKenna tries to protest, but Coach Isabelle tells McKenna that she's not ready for that move yet. The coach tells her to just stretch. As McKenna's feeling depressed, her best friend Toulane Thomas comes over and tells McKenna she was great. She then gets on about how the two of them will get into the 2016 Summer Olympics. Toulane explains that she'll be on the podium with her gold, and McKenna next to her with her silver. McKenna tells her that she'll get a gold instead. The girls get back to gymnastics until McKenna's grandma comes into the gym with McKenna's younger twin sisters, Maisey and Mara. The 4 of them leave the gym.
At home, McKenna, Maisey, Mara, Mr. and Mrs. Brooks are at the table and talking about Mrs. Brooks' business, and how her guitarist didn't show up on his first day. Mr. Brooks tries to convince Mrs. Brooks to let his old rock band play at her coffee shop. Mr. Brooks starts singing one of his songs. Then, Mrs. Brooks tells Maisey and Mara to go to their room, while she and Mr. Brooks talk to McKenna. When the twins leave, McKenna thinks it's about her accidentally feeding the class pet. Mr. and Mrs. Brooks explain that Mr. Wu e-mailed them and said that McKenna's grades were slipping. Mr. Wu is concerned about McKenna's grades and he recommended that she get a reading tutor from the middle school. McKenna's parents believe that she's spending too much time on gymnastics and not enough time on school. McKenna refuses and promises to bring her grades up as there's going to be a science quiz the next day. She starts to read the science book, but doesn't understand it and quits.