Run, Fatboy, Run

Run, Fatboy, Run is about Dennis Doyle, who left Libby at the alter due to mounting pressures of being a husband and father. Now Libby has a new boyfriend who is everything Dennis is not. Motivated to win back Libby's respect, his goal is to run a marathon alongside the antagonist Whit.

Release Year: 2007
Rating: PG-13
Length: 100m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

• Attributions: Dennis attributes his failures to external, stable, and out-of-control variables.
• Confidence: Dennis walks around the whole movie slumpy until the very end, while Whit is a very proud and confident person.
• Goal Setting: Dennis sets his goal of finishing the marathon and earning back the respect of Libby and his son Jake.
• Imagery: During the marathon, Dennis hits the "runner's wall" and envisions himself breaking through a real wall, recalling images of past moments.
• Motivation: Dennis is motivated by various other characters throughout the movie, such as making a bet with friends, being chased with a spatula, betting his rent, and wanting to earn back the respect of his former fiancé.

Touching the Void

Touching the Void is an incredible story of survival in the face of death.  This part documentary, part dramatic reenactment follows Joe Simpson and Simon Yates as they climb the previously unclimbed west face of Siula Grande.  The ascent goes well, but, as Joe states: "80% of accidents occur on the way down."

Release Year: 2003
Rating: R
Length: 106m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase it from Amazon.

• Confidence: at the beginning of the movie, they believed they would be the first ones to do it because they were better than the previous climbers; loss of confidence following the injury (felt "doomed" and "psychologically beaten")
• Goal Setting: after injury, Joe repeatedly makes time-based goals for motivation as he crawls across the top of a glacier to get back to camp; occurs about two-thirds of the way into the movie
• Injury: shortly into the descent, Joe falls and breaks his leg, rendering him crippled the rest of the climb, about a half-hour into the movie
• Intrinsic Motivation: at the very beginning, Joe and Simon talk about how much they love climbing
• Self-Talk: Joe and Simon discuss their thoughts throughout the entire documentary
• Teamwork: in their style of climbing, were tied to each other, which requires great trust; after injury, Simon attempts to lower Joe down the mountain one rope length at a time

Little Girls in Pretty Boxes

Little Girls in Pretty Boxes is a made-for-television movie based on the book about gymnasts and the extreme difficulties they encounter at the upper echelons of competition.  Elite gymnastics results in many sacrifices for all involved, both physically and mentally, but how how much is too much?


Release Year: 1997
Length: 96m

For more information, view its pages at the Internet Movie Database and Rotten Tomatoes or purchase the book from Amazon.


Aggression: Aggression is depicted in a few ways throughout the movie: both in the parent-to-parent relationships with one another while viewing their daughters and in the coaching style with the athletes.

Anxiety: The coach tries to put them under constent anxiety so they will cope better with it, and some handle it better than others. The girls are constantly reminded of who is at the top and that if they are there, they may not be remain for long.

Commitment: The girls are reminded on a regular basis about how much effort that they need to put into their gymnastics to pursue their goal. Parents make a huge commitment to follow their children in their efforts.

Confidence: In one of the last scenes the coach yells at Katie for not attempting the Yurchenko. You can not bail out on skills; you must have the confidence or you will get hurt.

Eating Disorders: Katie reduces the amount she eats. She says that she won't eat her dinner and if she does, she will just throw it up because losing three pounds means gaining a foot in height in her tumbling.

Goal Setting: The coach puts a lot of outcome oriented goals on the athletes: win or else that's it.

Going for your Dream: All the girls hope to make it to the Olympics. They give up much to pursue their dream, including leaving behind their home and family.

Injury: In the end the star athlete has a career ending injury, which in turn leads to the thought that Katie was being pushed too hard.

Keeping Sport in Perspective: When they decide to go home Katie's mother realizes that her job is to be a mother. She does not want Katie to become hurt in order to be win in a sport. Her life is more important.

Parents/Family: In order for Katie to move her entire family must make a sacrifice and do so. However, her relationship with her family is part of the key to her success.

Substance Abuse: The girls put their bodies through so much and in turn suffer pain they must push through. Dana Parker, the star athlete, offers Katie prescription medicine to help her battle through pain.