Step Up Review

Step Up
A community service order lands a troubled rebel from the wrong side of the tracks at Maryland School of the Arts, where a privileged ballet dancer is searching for a partner...

by Anna Smith |
Published on
Release Date:

27 Oct 2006

Running Time:

103 minutes

Certificate:

PG

Original Title:

Step Up

Aiming to be this year’s Fame/Footloose hybrid, Step Up throws a tough street dancer into community service at Baltimore’s premiere performing arts school, where a pretty posh girl awaits in dire need of a new dancing partner (and a boyfriend, by the looks of her selfish, arrogant beau).

It’s predictable to the very last, and hampered by stiff expositionary dialogue and one-dimensional characters. Even so, there’s something charming about its enthusiasm, and the formula of the uplifting-dance-romance genre is adhered to well enough to attract young female viewers less familiar with its well-worn clichés. Buff, likeable lead Channing Tatum shouldn’t hurt either, but the rest of the young cast might want to go back to drama class - or stick to their admittedly sensational dancing.

It’s the usual case of great dancing, bad acting and even worse dialogue in this very guilty pleasure for fans of the genre.
Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us