Step Up
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Rated: PG-13
Cast: Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, Rachel Griffiths, Mario , Drew Sidora
Director: Anne Fletcher
WorkNameSort: Step Up
Our Rating: 2.00

Step right up â?¦ and reacquaint yourself with every dream-in-my-heart, rhythm-in my-steps clichÃ© ever committed to celluloid. The ghosts of Fame, Dirty Dancing and a certain recent Antonio Banderas flick lunge and twirl in the air as a Baltimore wigga (Channing Tatum) lands community service cleaning up at the Maryland School of the Arts, only to become the unlikely dance partner of a good-girl performer/choreographer who’s preparing for an all-important recital. In the latter role is Jenna Dewan, a former P. Diddy/ Janet Jackson dancer who resembles Lisa Lisa impersonating Forever Your Girl-era Paula Abdul. Atrocious writing takes its toll on the cast’s considerable energy, which is best showcased in dance sequences that could have been a lot longer given the cloying melodrama that’s the viewing alternative. Two months from now, you won’t be able to distinguish this one from Take the Lead (which Dewan also just happened to be in). A hint: Lead was better. With Rachel Griffiths as, um, Alfre Woodard. (PG-13)

This article appears in Aug 9-15, 2006.

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