Usually dance movies (Flashdance, Honey, Save The Last Dance) have a girl realising their soft-shoe dream, but here a boy gets a turn at hoofing for a living. Channing Tatum (Dear John) stars as Tyler, a bad boy street dancer who gets in trouble with the law and is sentenced to community service at a performing arts school. There he meets Nora, and when her regular dance partner is injured, our hunky hero steps in to pirouette her to stardom.
It's basically a rehash of Save The Last Dance, not surprising when you learn that screenwriter Duane Adler had a hand in both movies' scripts. Unfortunately, there are no new ideas here, and wishy-washy performances to boot, but at least the dance sequences are watchable. (Movie fact: leads Tatum and Dewan are now married in real life. Awww.)
Two equally missable sequels have followed, Step Up 2: The Streets and Step Up: 3D.
Is Step Up suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
None.
If you like this, why not try: Fame 1980, Fame 2009, High School Musical, Save The Last Dance, Honey,