An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong
Encyclopedia
An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong is the fifth film in the American Girl series, starring actress and singer Sammi Hanratty
. It is based on the Chrissa books in the American Girl
range written by [Mary Casanova].
The screenplay was written by Christine Coyle Johnson and Julie Prendiville Roux. The movie was directed by Martha Coolidge
. It won a 2009 Gold Award from National Parenting Publications (NAPPA)
) and her family move to the fictional town of Edgewater, Minnesota
from Iowa in order to be closer to Chrissa's "Nana" after their grandfather died. She starts school on the day before Valentine's Day
but her efforts to make new friends are stalled by the Queen Bees (also known as the Mean Bees), a clique of three girls who rule the grade by intimidation. Their leader, Tara James, taunts Chrissa and convinces fellow Bee Sonali Matthews to steal Chrissa's valentines. Sonali tells Chrissa that Tara made her take the valentines and tells her she got grounded for a week.
Chrissa trys to befriend Gwen Thompson, a quiet, lonely, unpopular girl who is also bullied by the Bees. Although Gwen is shy at first, the girls gradually become friends. At a fundraiser for the local homeless shelter, Chrissa finds out that Gwen is homeless. Chrissa swears that she won't tell anyone that she's homeless. Meanwhile, Sonali is starting to be friendlier with Chrissa but is still more loyal to Tara. Sonali goes over to Chrissa's house (without telling Tara) while they are studying Sonali's cell phone rings, and she tells Chrissa she has relatives over, but it was really Tara wanting her to come over. Tara realizes that Sonali and Chrissa are becoming friends, she tells her that if she doesn't stop being friends with Chrissa she would be kicked out the club, but Sonali say's she doesn't care if she's in the club or not.
The Bees evesdroppe on Gwen and Chrissa and follow them into the restroom while Chrissa is trying to cut Gwen's bangs. Tara convinces Gwen to let her cut them by Jadyn saying Tara's mom works in a salon, then "accidentally" chops Gwen's bangs off, noting: "Now you really look like a homeless person." Gwen leaves the restroom sobbing then is abbsent from school for some days and the other four girls are sent to the principal's office.The principal tells the girls that Gwen is afraid to come back to school. Tara starts to say that Chrissa chopped off Gwen's bangs but Sonali tells the truth, which gets Tara suspended for three days while she and Jadyn are suspended for just a day. The following day Sonali apologizes to Gwen about all the mean things she and the other Bees had done to her then Jadydon says: You know Tara is going to get really mad. But Sonali with self -confidence replies : You know what Jadyn I don't care and she becomes friends with Chrissa and Gwen.
After the incident, the bullying gets more intense. In the girls' locker room there are flyers with Chrissa's face on a llama's body saying "Chrissa the loser llama girl". Then Chrissa finds a message on the swim team message board and realizes that it was Tara who put up "Ask Chrissa about her contagious skin disease. Should we be swimming in the same water as her?". Soon, her older brother Tyler ends up hitting his head, but doesn't get a concussion (in the book, he did), because Tara told him that he couldn't do a dive called "the super corkscrew
" and only she could do it. Chrissa takes the blame and quits the swim team,saying "If Tyler can't swim I won't swim.",while Tara stays on the team, but then returns for the big meet.But during that time Tyler realizes that the real reason that his sister quited is because she didn't want to be around Tara. Then she gets advice from her art's teacher to tell her parents about what is happening and then Chrissa shows her parents the flyer and her mother says that it stops now I am callling Mr Beck and the principal ste up a meeting and tell them whats going on . Even though Chrissa rejects her mother explains that is how bullies work they depend on kids who are afraid to speak up and Chrissa admits.
During the meet, Chrissa realizes that she and Tara have to work together if they want to win the relay. Although Tara is reluctant, Chrissa assures her that even though they may be not the best of friends,or any kind of friends but they can still work together to win. Their team work earns them their victory, and they reconcile and hug.
The final scene in the movie is "the big fourth grade project" about bullying. Each character makes a short speech about their idea of ending bullying and the basic speeches are those of Sonali: Courage is my word it takes courage to stop being bullied and it takes courage to stop being a bully ,Gwen: I chose the word forgive once you forgive it makes you feel better, Tara: Accept is my word and I guess it starts with me no one is better or worse than anyone else we have all the same problems and finally Chrissa: I chose the word strength cause no matter what happens around strength is the thing needed. The film ends on a summer scene where Chrissa, Sonali, and Gwen going to Lake Chandler to swim with Chrissa's old friend, Amanda, from Iowa.
Sammi Hanratty
Samantha "Sammi" Hanratty professionally known as Sammi Hanratty is an American actress and singer. In 2007, she began her acting career portraying young Charlotte "Chuck" Charles on the ABC series Pushing Daisies...
. It is based on the Chrissa books in the American Girl
American Girl (company)
American Girl is an American line of 18-inch dolls released in 1986 by Pleasant Company. The dolls portray ten-year-old girls of a variety of ethnicities living in various times throughout American history. They are sold with accompanying books told from the viewpoint of the girls...
range written by [Mary Casanova].
The screenplay was written by Christine Coyle Johnson and Julie Prendiville Roux. The movie was directed by Martha Coolidge
Martha Coolidge
Martha Coolidge is an American film director and former President of the Directors Guild of America. -Career:Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Ms. Coolidge first made her reputation by directing many award winning documentaries in New York before moving out to Hollywood in 1976. She spent several...
. It won a 2009 Gold Award from National Parenting Publications (NAPPA)
Plot
Chrissa Maxwell (Sammi HanrattySammi Hanratty
Samantha "Sammi" Hanratty professionally known as Sammi Hanratty is an American actress and singer. In 2007, she began her acting career portraying young Charlotte "Chuck" Charles on the ABC series Pushing Daisies...
) and her family move to the fictional town of Edgewater, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
from Iowa in order to be closer to Chrissa's "Nana" after their grandfather died. She starts school on the day before Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
but her efforts to make new friends are stalled by the Queen Bees (also known as the Mean Bees), a clique of three girls who rule the grade by intimidation. Their leader, Tara James, taunts Chrissa and convinces fellow Bee Sonali Matthews to steal Chrissa's valentines. Sonali tells Chrissa that Tara made her take the valentines and tells her she got grounded for a week.
Chrissa trys to befriend Gwen Thompson, a quiet, lonely, unpopular girl who is also bullied by the Bees. Although Gwen is shy at first, the girls gradually become friends. At a fundraiser for the local homeless shelter, Chrissa finds out that Gwen is homeless. Chrissa swears that she won't tell anyone that she's homeless. Meanwhile, Sonali is starting to be friendlier with Chrissa but is still more loyal to Tara. Sonali goes over to Chrissa's house (without telling Tara) while they are studying Sonali's cell phone rings, and she tells Chrissa she has relatives over, but it was really Tara wanting her to come over. Tara realizes that Sonali and Chrissa are becoming friends, she tells her that if she doesn't stop being friends with Chrissa she would be kicked out the club, but Sonali say's she doesn't care if she's in the club or not.
The Bees evesdroppe on Gwen and Chrissa and follow them into the restroom while Chrissa is trying to cut Gwen's bangs. Tara convinces Gwen to let her cut them by Jadyn saying Tara's mom works in a salon, then "accidentally" chops Gwen's bangs off, noting: "Now you really look like a homeless person." Gwen leaves the restroom sobbing then is abbsent from school for some days and the other four girls are sent to the principal's office.The principal tells the girls that Gwen is afraid to come back to school. Tara starts to say that Chrissa chopped off Gwen's bangs but Sonali tells the truth, which gets Tara suspended for three days while she and Jadyn are suspended for just a day. The following day Sonali apologizes to Gwen about all the mean things she and the other Bees had done to her then Jadydon says: You know Tara is going to get really mad. But Sonali with self -confidence replies : You know what Jadyn I don't care and she becomes friends with Chrissa and Gwen.
After the incident, the bullying gets more intense. In the girls' locker room there are flyers with Chrissa's face on a llama's body saying "Chrissa the loser llama girl". Then Chrissa finds a message on the swim team message board and realizes that it was Tara who put up "Ask Chrissa about her contagious skin disease. Should we be swimming in the same water as her?". Soon, her older brother Tyler ends up hitting his head, but doesn't get a concussion (in the book, he did), because Tara told him that he couldn't do a dive called "the super corkscrew
Corkscrew
A corkscrew is a kitchen tool for drawing stopping corks from wine bottles. Generally, a corkscrew consists of a pointed metallic helix attached to a handle. The user grips the handle and screws the metal point into the cork, until the helix is firmly embedded, then a vertical pull on the...
" and only she could do it. Chrissa takes the blame and quits the swim team,saying "If Tyler can't swim I won't swim.",while Tara stays on the team, but then returns for the big meet.But during that time Tyler realizes that the real reason that his sister quited is because she didn't want to be around Tara. Then she gets advice from her art's teacher to tell her parents about what is happening and then Chrissa shows her parents the flyer and her mother says that it stops now I am callling Mr Beck and the principal ste up a meeting and tell them whats going on . Even though Chrissa rejects her mother explains that is how bullies work they depend on kids who are afraid to speak up and Chrissa admits.
During the meet, Chrissa realizes that she and Tara have to work together if they want to win the relay. Although Tara is reluctant, Chrissa assures her that even though they may be not the best of friends,or any kind of friends but they can still work together to win. Their team work earns them their victory, and they reconcile and hug.
The final scene in the movie is "the big fourth grade project" about bullying. Each character makes a short speech about their idea of ending bullying and the basic speeches are those of Sonali: Courage is my word it takes courage to stop being bullied and it takes courage to stop being a bully ,Gwen: I chose the word forgive once you forgive it makes you feel better, Tara: Accept is my word and I guess it starts with me no one is better or worse than anyone else we have all the same problems and finally Chrissa: I chose the word strength cause no matter what happens around strength is the thing needed. The film ends on a summer scene where Chrissa, Sonali, and Gwen going to Lake Chandler to swim with Chrissa's old friend, Amanda, from Iowa.
Major Characters
- Chrissa Maxwell - (Sammi HanrattySammi HanrattySamantha "Sammi" Hanratty professionally known as Sammi Hanratty is an American actress and singer. In 2007, she began her acting career portraying young Charlotte "Chuck" Charles on the ABC series Pushing Daisies...
) - A ten year old who is bullied by Tara James. She doesn't want to tell anyone. She decides to keep a secret.She also joins the school's swim team,but soon quits after a accident at the pool.She is best friends with Gwen Thompson. - Tyler Maxwell - (Austin Thomas) - Tyler is Chrissa's older brother.He joins the school's swim team, but he has to quit after he has a accident.He plays a small part in Tara James's plans.
- Gwen Thompson - (Kaitlyn DeverKaitlyn DeverKaitlyn Dever is an American actress. She is best known for her role as a Gwen Thompson in the American Girl film entitled An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong, Loretta McCready in Justified and as Eve Baxter in Last Man Standing....
) - A homeless girl who lives in a shelter called Sunrise. She is very lonely and shy until she meets Chrissa. - Tara James - (Adair TishlerAdair TishlerAdair Rae Tishler is a former American teen actress, model, voice actress, and singer, who has appeared in television shows such as Charmed and House and in movies such as Within and An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong. She is perhaps best known for portraying Molly Walker on NBC's Heroes...
) - A bully at Chrissa's school.She and her friends Sonali and Jadyn also known as the "Queen Bees" do mean and sometimes crule things to everyone that gets in her way. Chrissa,Tyler,and Gwen are her enemies. - Sonali Matthews - (Ariela Barer) - Sonali is friends with Tara and Jadyn at the beginning of the film, but soon realizes that they were mean. She then becomes Chrissa and Gwen's friend.
- Jadyn Johnson - (Shelby Harmon) - A friend of Tara who plays a small part in her plans. She stays loyal to Tara unlike Sonali.
Minor Characters
- Mrs. Meg Maxwell - (Annabeth GishAnnabeth GishAnnabeth Gish is an American actress known for starring roles in Shag, Mystic Pizza and Double Jeopardy. She is best known for her roles as Special Agent Monica Reyes on The X-Files, Elizabeth Bartlet Westin on The West Wing and as Eileen Caffee on the Showtime drama Brotherhood.-Personal...
) - Chrissa's mother, who just got a job as a doctor in Edgewater. She tries to protect Chrissa from bullying. - Mr. Paul Maxwell - (Timothy BottomsTimothy Bottoms-Early life:Bottoms was born in Santa Barbara, California, the eldest son of Betty and James "Bud" Bottoms, who is a sculptor and art teacher. He is the brother of actors Joseph Bottoms , Sam Bottoms and Ben Bottoms . In 1967, Bottoms toured Europe as part of the Santa Barbara Madrigal...
) - Chrissa's father. - Nanna Louise Maxwell - (Michael LearnedMichael LearnedMichael Learned is an American actress known for her role as Olivia Walton on The Waltons.-Personal life:Learned was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Elizabeth Duane "Betti" and Bruce Learned, a diplomat. Her maternal grandfather was an attaché for the United States Embassy in Rome...
) - Chrissa's nanna, mother of Mrs. Maxwell, a widow whom the Maxwell family moved into. She is also always there for Chrissa and protects her from the bullying. - Mrs. Ziminsky - (Joanne BaronJoanne BaronJoanne Baron is an actress and Meisner Method acting coach. She was raised in Providence, Rhode Island and attended Classical and Pawtucket High Schools. She received early acceptance to the University of Connecticut, then pursued Broadway opportunities and sang in Reno Sweeny’s with Cissy Houston,...
) - Chrissa's new school principal, who always tries to keep Chrissa and the other bullies out of trouble. - Mr. Beck - (Don FranklinDon FranklinDon Franklin is an American actor, best known for his roles in seaQuest DSV as Commander Jonathan Ford, Seven Days as Captain Craig Donovan, and as one of The Young Riders .-Partial filmography:...
) - Chrissa's new school teacher and also a swim coach. He also tries to keep Chrissa and the other bullies out of trouble. - Mrs. Rundell - (Jennifer TillyJennifer TillyJennifer Tilly is an American actress and poker player. She is an Academy Award nominee, and a World Series of Poker Ladies' Event bracelet winner. She is the older sister of actress Meg Tilly.-Early life:...
) - Chrissa's new school art teacher. - Mrs. Janine Thompson - (Jennifer Parsons) - Gwen's mother,a widow, who lives with her in the homeless shelter.