Step Up (Buena Vista Pictures, PG-13)

Boy meets girl. They are instantly attracted, but boy has been sentenced to community service at girl's school, and girl has a boyfriend already. Girl's dance partner hurts his leg and she can't find anyone to take his place until our bad boy steps in.

 

In April, audiences were treated to Take the Lead with Antonio Banderas as a dance teacher to problem students. Do we really need another inner-city dance movie this year? Well, of course not, but that doesn't stop the makers of Step Up from giving it the best they've got.

Step Up follows problem student Tyler Gage (Channing Tatum), a thug-in-training with a heart of gold, as he assists good-girl dance student Nora (Jenna Dewan) with her senior showcase performance.

Here's the catch with most dance movies-only one thing really matters: the dancing. As long as the actors look good and it's not filmed on a home video camera from 1986, everything is in line for the film's target audience. You think I'm exaggerating? Think again.

The story uses all the tried-and-true ideas of sappy romances and dance movies past. Boy meets girl. They are instantly attracted, but boy has been sentenced to community service at girl's school, and girl has a boyfriend already. Girl's dance partner hurts his leg and she can't find anyone to take his place until our bad boy steps in. They work together, argue, become friends, alienate each other, make up, piss each other off again, and then get back together just in time for the big showcase.

This script is filled with old-school plot devices. Nora has always loved to dance but her mother dislikes her dream, and her dad (who supported her wholeheartedly) is unfortunately very dead. Nora and Tyler have to merge her classical with his street-dancing technique to make the routine work, and they both learn the value of each method. When Tyler begins to enjoy dancing with Nora and the other "rich kids," guess how his car thief buddy Mac (Damaine Radcliff) reacts? When Tyler and Nora get close, do you really think her boyfriend will be around much longer?

For all the trite story points, the film comes off as just fine. The actors are pretty (yes, even the guys), the music's OK, and the dancing is really good. Tatum and Dewan work well as leads, and unlike some movies with adults playing high school students, they actually seem young enough for their roles. With the exception of Rachel Griffiths (from television's Six Feet Under), no one here is going to be nominated for acting awards anytime soon, but that's OK. They can dance, man.

Speaking of that dancing, I couldn't help but notice that the focal point of Nora's piece-the move she uses to audition new dance partners-is a lift. Not just any lift either, but the kind where she runs to her partner, jumps, and counts on him to catch her mid-air. Oh Dirty Dancing, wherefore art thou?

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that Step Up didn't suck out loud. While I didn't get nearly as excited as the teens in the theater with me (oh yes, there will be lots of teens nearby if you go to this film), it works as an end of summer please-get-me-outta-this-heat movie. Most adults will be able to watch without getting restless, but this really is a tween/teen fest. If you want heat relief and don't have kids with you, you might as well choose something else at the multiplex.