Step Up

Cert: PG
Stars: Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, Damaine Radcliff, DeÂ’Shawn Washington, Mario, Drew Sidora, Rachel Griffiths
Director: Anne Fletcher
Five-second summary: A boy from the wrong side of the tracks does community service at a performing arts school

Full Review

If you are going to make formulaic films, itÂ’s probably best to make them for teenagers, as they might not have seen enough films to know that what you are presenting them with is breathtakingly unoriginal.

Tyler Gage (Channing Tatum) is a poor kid from the wrong side of the tracks in Baltimore who occasionally steals cars with mates and enjoys dancing in a hip-hop style at underground parties. When he gets in trouble with the law for vandalising the Maryland School of the Arts he is ordered to do community service at the very same school.

Before you can say ‘I’ve seen this all before’, Tyler is spotted dancing in the car park by one of the students, Nora (Jenna Dewan), who has just lost her dance partner to an ankle injury with a big showcase just weeks away. From this point on there are no surprises left. Come to think of it, there were none to begin with.

If either Jenna Dewan or Channing Tatum were more than competent dancers, at least these scenes might have livened up proceedings, but youÂ’re really better off staying at home and watching R&B videos.

Verdict: Deeply derivative without particularly good dancing.

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