A Guilty Pleasure

Rating: 6/10 (14 July 2009)

Okay, okay, okay, I know. It's clichéd and predictable, the writing isn't fantastic (in fact, some of the lines are quite embarrassingly corny) and the acting barely squidges above adequate.
But...but...but...I friggin' love this movie. For a dance movie, I've seen a lot worse (Havana Nights, anybody?) and for plot-line, it's not the first of it's kind, but it certainly has an edge to it that keeps you interested, and certainly isn't a pitch lower than other, similar films (8 Mile).
The music is a stand out part, it's very, very good throughout, and many of the dancing scenes, particularly Sara's final audition and Derek giving her dancing lessons, are very entertaining and fun to watch. I especially love how believably jerky and unsteady Sara is on her feet during Derek's first lesson, and it really gave it some substance as I could totally imagine myself in that situation, feeling really "dorky" and unsure. It definitely gives the viewer the feeling that it's possible to cross racial "red tape" and attempt things they've never tried before.
I think, and I know some other reviewers disagree here, that the racial tension of putting a Caucasian girl into a situation where she is the subject of scorn from African-American individuals is refreshing and interesting to watch. While it's appreciated that Blacks have been oppressed and treated unfairly, it's nice to see a film that takes a look at it from another direction, in this day and age, in this culture and in this generation of students. I think it was also given with a grain of salt (I didn't forget that annoying yappy white girlfriend of Sara's who constantly wants to pray and can't comprehend that Sara might date an African-American.)
All in all, I recognise that it's not Citizen Kane or Trainspotting or anything, but it is a guilty little pleasure. It's a fun, relaxing and interesting storyline with characters that you can easily care about, stereotypical though they may be. It's not a perfect model, but if you just want to listen to some great music, watch some amazing choreography, and maybe tear up a little bit, this movie's got all the right moves.