Mariel Hemingway,
Scott Glenn,
Patrice Donnelly,
Kenny Moore,
Jim Moody
... see more 
In 1982, there was a brief cycle of homosexual-relationship films, none of which were successful enough to form the basis of a trend. Producer/director/writer Robert Towne's Personal Best is one of th... read more
DVD Release Date: January 8, 2008
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Stats: 66 reviews
Your Rating
Flixster Reviews (66)
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December 9, 2009If this is Robert Towne's "Personal Best," I'd hate to see the guy's personal worst! He is an overrated writer and proves herein to be a connect-the-dots director. Murial Hemingway can play naïve and pretty just fine, but the picture's only real redemption lies in Michael Chapman... read more
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July 24, 2007Mariel has been in three lesbian related films. Also, one not on here, In Her Line of Fire, and Personal Best.
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March 12, 2007I liked it, but it seam that all "Young" lesbians want to see this movie. It's O.K., but nothing that I would watch again...
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January 18, 2007this is a movei taht makes marie hmibngway the best. its about a girl who is in athe olympics. their both like confused about the sexualtiy. there r lots of ranodm nudity. its not seriou sbut sometimes funny. its all about love and friendship. mariel hamingway is good in thi!
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September 28, 2006Great sports movie that happens to also be a great lesbian drama. Alright by me! A good, sexy, exciting movie that does work up a sweat.
Critic Reviews
August 4, 2008
Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine
August 4, 2008
Variety Staff, Variety
Towne has a love of slow motion that's employed as if he's afraid you might miss one, rippling muscle. Worse than that, when people aren't exercising, they are often talking about exercising. Full Review
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
This is a very physical movie, one of the healthiest and sweatiest celebrations of physical exertion I can remember. Full Review
August 30, 2004
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Unless you're fascinated by all of the prettified slow-motion footage of Chris, Tory and the other women athletes, your eye is likely to wander to your watch long before the end. Full Review
January 1, 2000
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
The characters have a fullness and vitality rare in American films of that period, but Towne has so much trouble establishing information visually that the film emerges as choppy, confused, ill-propor... Full Review
January 9, 2012
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
[VIDEO] Although screenwriter Robert Towne's directorial debut fell largely on deaf ears when it was released in 1982 "Personal Best" remains a powerful examination of high-stakes female athletes duri... Full Review
June 27, 2009
Jeremy Heilman, MovieMartyr.com
Endowed with remarkable performances, superb photography, and a clear vision of what matters to its characters, Personal Best is an underappreciated gem in a genre full of filler. Full Review
January 20, 2008
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
There's no questioning its authenticity.... However, the movie tends to make its points early and then repeat itself unnecessarily. Full Review
February 9, 2006
Derek Adams, Time Out
The sort of nerve required to produce an excellent screenplay like Chinatown seems to have deserted Towne in this, his directorial debut. Full Review
May 24, 2003
Film4
An unusual subject to get the Hollywood treatment though, and as such it should be commended, while Hemmingway is always worth catching. Full Review
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Personal Best
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