Dance Flick
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Dance Flick
Flat-footed genre satire with a minimal plot about the unlikely romance between a would-be ballerina (Shoshana Bush) and a street dancer (Damon Wayans, Jr.). Stumbles far outnumber leaps in director and co-writer Damien Dante Wayans' rambling sendup, and a few of the gags are patently vulgar. Much sexual and some scatological humor, one use of the F-word, frequent crude and crass language, and occasional comic violence. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
Dance Flick (Full Review)
The Wayans clan -- the folks behind the "Scary Movie" franchise -- takes on dance films old and new in "Dance Flick" (Paramount). But stumbles far outnumber leaps in this rambling sendup, and a few of the gags are patently vulgar.
Set in a "Fame"-like performing-arts high school, the minimal story tracks the unlikely romance between would-be ballerina Megan White (Shoshana Bush) and street dancer Thomas Uncles (Damon Wayans Jr.). But the ostensible plot only serves to string together a variety of sketches that range from the predictable to the offensive.
So we have break dancers spinning out of control and crashing through the floor or taking flight and breaking through the ceiling, a woman suddenly giving birth midboogie and, most especially, a recurring joke about a female character's (Amy Sedaris) private parts (but there's no nudity) that very nearly pushed this into an "O" classification.
Along with "Fame" and "Flashdance," there are jabs at more recent offerings like "Hairspray" and the "Step Up" films. But with a Ray Charles look-alike falling down a manhole, and a Zac Efron double dancing through the streets in a leotard, proclaiming his homosexuality in song, the flat-footed proceedings prompt more groans than giggles.
David Alan Grier hits the mark with his portrayal of an obese, hot-tempered gangster who sings a passionate soul ballad in praise of food. But other considerable comic talents, like that of Chris Elliott (once so brilliant on "Late Night With David Letterman"), are squandered by the weak script penned by Keenen Ivory, Shawn, Marlon, Craig and director Damien Dante Wayans.
The film contains much sexual and some scatological humor, one use of the F-word, frequent crude and crass language, and occasional comic violence. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic
merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating,
the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief
synopsis of the movie.
The classifications are as follows:
- A-I -- general patronage;
- A-II -- adults and adolescents;
- A-III -- adults;
- A-IV**
- L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
- O -- morally offensive.
** Discontinued classification. All archived movies that were originally in the A-IV category are now classified as L.