Most of this Harold Lloyd short comedy works well enough. While a lot of it is simply Harold's standard character and material, it also comes up with some good gags and a couple of unexpected developments. It moves at a good pace, and it also benefits from the energy of Bebe Daniels, so that there are not too many slow spots.
Most of the action takes place at a roller skating rink, where all of the characters wind up as a result of some handy plot contrivances. While the story may be slight, most of the slapstick that results is pretty good, and it is easily watchable.
Although the material and the characters are to some degree different, it's hard not to be reminded of Chaplin's "The Rink", if for no other reason than for the contrast that it presents. In terms of entertainment value, both are decent if unexceptional short comedies, although "Don't Shove" is actually the more efficient of the two in terms of setting up the best part of the action.
More significantly, there is also a difference in the themes. Chaplin's movie has somewhat more substance to it, as it makes use of his frequent contrasts between different social classes. Yet there is still something to "Don't Shove", with Lloyd as the kind of improvisational, somewhat amoral eager beaver character that he so often portrayed. As in many of Lloyd's best features, he must battle his own mistakes as well as outside obstacles, making him a character quite different from Chaplin's tramp, but one with whom audiences can still relate.
