Lots of energy, lots of spirit

Rating: Null/10 (7 January 2016)

Three young punks, one of them played by Channing Tatum, break into an art school and proceed to trash the place in the rebelliousness. Like these movie punks always do. Tatum's character gets caught and has to do community service at the school in order to pay for what he's done. But, while serving his time, he finds out that these rich artist kids might have something in common with him. Namely, the passion for dance.
The plot is about as basic as they come, with Tatum's character having to help a young female student (Jenna Dewan), who has just lost a dancing partner to an ankle injury, and enlists Tatum's character to replace him. But the film has a lot of energy and good attitude that keep it going even when the plot should bore you to tears. Tatum and Dewan have great chemistry together, and tellingly married a couple of years later. The school is also a fun setting, with an atmosphere of its own and all the side characters show the passion they have for creating things, be it music or dancing or paintings.
The film is also shot rather well. The sets look great, it has fantastic colours and all the various dance numbers are shot in a way that allow you to really feel the movement.
Nothing much more to say, really. It's exactly what you'd expect from hearing the description, and for some people that can be a problem. Personally, I do like it after a fashion. It's not something I'd regret not having seen, but neither do I regret seeing it. It was a pleasant diversion.