Step Up (C or 2/4 stars)
'Step Up' is a musical dramedy directed by Anne Fletcher. Tyler (Channing Tatum) is a rebel from the wrong side of the tracks. He's looking for a way to get out and make a life for himself. Nora (Jenna Dewan) is a well-to-do ballet dancer, attending Baltimore's elite Maryland School of the Arts. She has a bright future, but won't get anywhere without a great partner to showcase her talent. You see where this is going. It's a decent feel-good story, but lacks a lot of energy.
Tyler, Mac, and Skinny, accidentally break a window at the School of Arts. They then, stupidly, damage lots of props inside the auditorium. The police show up, and Tyler is the only one caught. Because he's done community service before, seen jail time, lives in a foster home with 2 younger siblings, nothing surprises him anymore. Again, he's ordered to 200 hours of community service (at the school), but little does he know who he'll meet and how she'll change his life.
With an angry temper intact, Tyler lets off some steam by kidding around, dancing in the street. But this catches Nora's attention. Her partner has broken his leg, so as you can guess ... they meet, he's hot, she's hot, sparks fly, etc. She refines his dance skills, & he helps her let loose, a bit. With her in a relationship with Brett (Josh Henderson), can a romance ever begin? Can they showcase their new routine(s) and take a step towards changing both of their lives for the better?
This is a very familiar movie. Take out dancing, and you know you've seen these scenarios before. The couple has their ups & downs, but everything seems to work out in the end. The finale is pretty upbeat (though most of the dancing isn't as impressive as I thought it would be). Nothing really insults me in this formulaic movie. Tatum has flair; Dewan is a pretty girl. The integration of hip-hop & ballet throughout the movie is pretty neat. The plot isn't completely ludicrous. It's just very forgettable. Nothing takes flight in the movie; nothing soars. It's an ok, yet uninspired chick-flick.
Tyler, Mac, and Skinny, accidentally break a window at the School of Arts. They then, stupidly, damage lots of props inside the auditorium. The police show up, and Tyler is the only one caught. Because he's done community service before, seen jail time, lives in a foster home with 2 younger siblings, nothing surprises him anymore. Again, he's ordered to 200 hours of community service (at the school), but little does he know who he'll meet and how she'll change his life.
With an angry temper intact, Tyler lets off some steam by kidding around, dancing in the street. But this catches Nora's attention. Her partner has broken his leg, so as you can guess ... they meet, he's hot, she's hot, sparks fly, etc. She refines his dance skills, & he helps her let loose, a bit. With her in a relationship with Brett (Josh Henderson), can a romance ever begin? Can they showcase their new routine(s) and take a step towards changing both of their lives for the better?
This is a very familiar movie. Take out dancing, and you know you've seen these scenarios before. The couple has their ups & downs, but everything seems to work out in the end. The finale is pretty upbeat (though most of the dancing isn't as impressive as I thought it would be). Nothing really insults me in this formulaic movie. Tatum has flair; Dewan is a pretty girl. The integration of hip-hop & ballet throughout the movie is pretty neat. The plot isn't completely ludicrous. It's just very forgettable. Nothing takes flight in the movie; nothing soars. It's an ok, yet uninspired chick-flick.