To See Or Not To See: Step Up

by Jan Stetter
QCFMag.com

“Every second chance starts with the first step”. That’s the tagline for the teen movie, Step Up.

How about every movie deserves a first chance if you promise not to do a remake of a film that has been done before?

Step Up is the story of the only white guy who can dance in the hood, living on the wrong side of the tracks. Due to vandalism, he has to do 200 hours of community service at the prestigious performing arts school that he defiled. Poor boy meets Privileged girl who is in need of a dance partner. Hmmm where do you think this is going?

Poor boy never had a dream. Privilege girl has a dream; but needs help from a street dancer who has incredible talent and versatility in dancing. Poor Boy is played by Channing Tatum. The guy can dance!! Privilege girl is played by Jenna Dewan. She has met her match.

This movie seemed like a retread of Save The Last Dance starring Julia Stiles. … a privileged classically trained high school dancer has to withdraw from her private school and go to the public school of Creative and Performing Arts. She is befriended by a popular black girl and her brother; the most popular black guy. Julia has a dream. But she has no experience or confidence in her street dancing abilities. In steps Sean Patrick Thomas (popular black guy) who partners with her and yada yada yada …makes her dream comes true.

Hey, all is fair in love and war. And this movie has lots of love. Love for dancing, love for high school romance, love for MTV like dance videos, love for searching for your dreams—no matter what.

If you love dancing, are down with hip hop, and enjoy a predictable story, then you’ll love this movie. Oh yeah it might help if you’re eighteen years old or younger.

Having trouble making decisions about whether a movie is worth it? "To See or Not To See" reviews movies each week on Monday. Contact jans@queencityforum.com