Okay, so this is the epitome of a shitty dance movie. It has a weak plot, so-so acting, and completely unrealistic beginning, middle and end. However, I think that the dancing makes up for everything that goes wrong in this movie just because it's awesome. The final composition is a combination of Modern, Jazz, and Hip hop that blows me away every time I watch it. Honestly, I think that if there were no dancing in this movie, it would have gone straight to video. I like that this movie is a perfect example of the symbiotic relationship between dance styles. It isn't Save the Last Dance, where the sole focus of the movie is Julia Stiles learning to be "cool" by integrating hip hop into her ballet routine- in this movie, both characters learn how to dance in their partners' respective styles. Channing Tatum learns ballet (in a really cute setting with an obnoxious six-year-old), Jenna Dewan learns street dancing, and what comes out of that is a really kick-ass final composition.
When speaking of dance movies, if this one, Flashdance, and Saturday Night Fever do not immediately come to mind, then, I'm sorry, but there's something seriously wrong with you. This movie is a classic, and I'm not just including it because of Patrick Swayze's recent (and tragic) death. It is a dance movie that actually has a riveting plot, and although the period is a little off (it supposedly takes place in the 1960s, but I know a song like "The Time of My Life" would not have been played then), the dancing is fantastic. The chemistry between Swayze and Jennifer Gray is hot, and I love that this movie wasn't designed or intended to be a blockbuster hit because it makes it much more raw and real. It's almost like the Juno of dance movies. It will forever be an amazing cult movie experience and when I watch this, I remember why I am ashamed to watch most of the dance movies that come out these days. They just don't live up.
Peace!
The Movie Mistress
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