Double Dare (2003)

97% of critics liked it
(36 reviews)
70% of users liked it
(1,486 ratings)

Jeannie Epper and Zoe Bell are two women who get hurt for a living -- they're Hollywood stuntwomen, who take the falls and dodge the punches while taking the place of glamorous stars. Epper's big break came when she was hired to stand in for Lynda Carter on the Wonder Woman television series in the… More Jeannie Epper and Zoe Bell are two women who get hurt for a living -- they're Hollywood stuntwomen, who take the falls and dodge the punches while taking the place of glamorous stars. Epper's big break came when she was hired to stand in for Lynda Carter on the Wonder Woman television series in the 1970s, while Bell made a name for herself doing Lucy Lawless' stunt work for Xena: Warrior Princess. Double Dare is a documentary which looks at the lives and careers of these two women, as well as their friendship. Epper, in her early sixties, finds herself dealing with ageism in the entertainment industry, just as she's dealt with sexism much of her life, as she struggles to stay in the game, while Bell learns from her older friend not only the nuts and bolts of stunt work but the trails Epper and her compatriots had to blaze to be respected in their profession. Double Dare also features appearances by Quentin Tarantino and Steven Spielberg. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 21 min.
Directed By: Amanda Micheli
Genres: Documentary, Television, Musical & Performing Arts

In Theaters: Apr 22, 2005 Wide
On DVD: Jun 7, 2005
Studio: Balcony Releasing

Critic Reviews

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Castellitto, who has won his country's best-actor award twice before, has such a haunting look in his eyes that he doesn't need to chew the scenery to get across his point. Cruz doesn't speak much, but her face screams of the pain that Italia faces.
Ty Burr, Boston Globe
It provides a frank portrait of women trying to make it in a traditionally male game.
Manohla Dargis, New York Times
Thin but pleasantly diverting.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
A genuine pleasure.
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
Shows the hardship that women -- especially older women -- must endure in a male-dominated business.
John Anderson, Newsday
Stunts are, quite naturally, the most explosive part of the film.
Eric Monder, Film Journal International
Gives a terrific insider look at the making of action-adventure shows and movies.
Noel Murray, AV Club
Double Dare's weaknesses are only so apparent because of its many strengths.
Bill Gibron, PopMatters
Double Dare is more about camaraderie than competition.
Scott Weinberg, DVDTalk.com
As far as "human interest" documentaries go, Double Dare is an absolute winner.
Eric D. Snider, EricDSnider.com
A congenial doc.... I wonder if it might have been more interesting if it had widened its scope a bit -- but still, Jeannie and Zoe are likable gals.
Jordan Reed, Boxoffice Magazine
Double Dare remains an entertaining and informative look at a little-known struggle for equality and respect in a physically unforgiving but completely vital Hollywood discipline.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
Just as stuntwomen have to do, Double Dare pulls its punches.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
[A] fly-in-the-face-of-reality perseverance is the key to the appeal of both the women profiled in the documentary Double Dare.
Paul Sherman, Boston Herald
Bell's energy and Epper's perseverance give Double Dare an unstoppable one-two punch.
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
[N]ever lets its enormous love and respect for its subjects interfere with its straightforward and clear-eyed observations...
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Micheli has enormous respect for these resilient, underappreciated performers. And after spending 81 minutes with the engaging, generous Jeannie and Zoe, it's hard to imagine anyone feeling otherwise.
David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor
Entertaining documentary about stuntwomen who do risky business for a living.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Walter M

"Double Dare" is a fun and interesting documentary about stuntwomen who rely on a combination of faith and fearlessness to survive in a field that has long been dominated by men. There is footage comparing stunt work to the finished product which helps illuminate the value… More
"Double Dare" is a fun and interesting documentary about stuntwomen who rely on a combination of faith and fearlessness to survive in a field that has long been dominated by men. There is footage comparing stunt work to the finished product which helps illuminate the value of their work. My only major complaint is that there is not a more detailed history of stuntwomen in the documentary. "Double Dare" focuses on two stuntwomen from two different generations, Jeannie Epper and Zoe Bell, who are both in the process of looking for work in the documentary. Mostly known for doubling for Lynda Carter on "Wonder Woman," Epper comes from a family of stuntpeople(Steven Spielberg testifies to the vast amounts of her family working in the fight scene in "1941") and her daughter is also in the business. Even though she is nearing 60, Epper is nowhere near ready to retire, stays in shape, takes time out to donate a kidney and is even considering liposuction to look younger. Quentin Tarantino to his everloving credit is looking for toughness in casting for "Kill Bill" and for good reason. One of the stuntwomen he is considering is Zoe Bell who up to this point is mostly known for her stuntwork on "Xena: Warrior Princess" which had just gone off the air. Considering her next job, like some of her fellow New Zealanders in show business, she is daunted by the prospect of moving away from home to look for work in Hollywood. The irony is that once satisfied to work behind the scenes, since the documentary was released, she has started to develop a career as an actress.