Step Up 2 (2008)

Directed by: Jon M. Chu | 98 minutes | drama, music, romance | Actors: Robert Hoffman, Briana Evigan, Will Kemp, Telisha Shaw, Tony Devon, Luis Salgado, Adam G. Sevani, Harry Shum Jr., Danielle Polanco, Jennifer Rouse, Jesus Maldonado, Brian Anthony Wilson, Patrick Michael Strange, Jeremy Isabella, Ivana Vitomir, Tom Townsend, Katie Corrado, Chris OBrocki, Mark J. Parker, Brian Mercer, April Tyler, Kmel Howell, Manny Oliverez, Ava Lenet, Travis Riddick, Shorty Welch, Melissa Merry, Michael Blumenstock, Adam Gary Sevani, Suzanne M Lee, Black Thomas, Bobbie Bowman, Jason Ford

Andie (Briana Evigan) lost her mother to cancer when she was 16 years old. From that moment on, Sarah (Sonja Sohn) takes care of her, her mother’s best friend. After yet another bad report about Andie’s behavior, Sarah is fed up and threatens to send Andie to Texas where Andie’s mother’s sister is allowed to try again. Andie is desperate that she will have to leave Baltimore and give up street dancing. She is lucky enough to have a close family friend arrange an audition for her at the prestigious Maryland School of Arts dance school.

To her utter surprise, Andie is hired, even though she is out of place in both dance style and personality. Due to the large amount of time she has to put into training, there is no time left to practice with her crew ‘410′, the big contender to win the ‘Streets’. Therefore, she is expelled from the group that she considers her family and she is devastated. Together with the great dance talent and brother of the school director Chase Collins (Robert Hoffman), she sets up her own crew of students who, like her, do not (want to) fit into the corset of the school and are bursting with unused talent. They practice in secret and everything seems to be going well, but then they are confronted with the harsh reality.

The movie is harmless entertainment. You are watching a dance film for young people and that is exactly what you are presented with. There is a lot of acrobatic dancing, there is rivalry between the different dance groups and, not to mention the much-needed love affairs where the necessary bumps have to be taken neatly. And we also pick up a hint of social injustice. In a cynical mood you can call it a weak bite. All the sharp edges of poverty and violence on the streets have been filed to such an extent that you are left with a sugary sweet story. The little violence that still occurs in it is not to completely die in the flat predictability that the film is passionate about. In a good mood you let it all come to you and it is quite fun to watch this smooth film adaptation of the raucous dancing of the street. Although real street dancers will undoubtedly recognize nothing of themselves or their way of dancing and will giggle a lot about the secret codes and the slang used. A nice film with nice dance scenes and great if you’re ready for some harmless entertainment.