Insistent, numbing niceness combines with sloppily edited motocross footage in “Free Style,” Corbin Bleu’s low-impact debut as a leading man.
Bleu, the mop-topped best bud of the “High School Musical” series, plays Cale, a pizza delivery guy and amateur motocross racer who dreams of making it to the pro squad. Personal and family problems intervene: His girlfriend cheats on him, he loses his bike after a minor brush with cops, and his devoted mom (Penelope Ann Miller) has a car accident.
Bleu’s cute-but-bland act flatlines in every scene of a movie with a script that is a perfect match for his abilities. With a beater of a bike, some help from friends and several peppy working-his-way-to-the-top montages, Cale is sure to make an impact in the big race. You’d expect more twists in a made-for-Disney-channel throwaway.
Running time: 94 minutes. Rated PG (mild profanity). At the Empire, the 86th Street East, the Loews Village.