| SAVE THE LAST DANCE |
 2001 - USADirector:
Thomas Carter - Reviewed by Frankie 
Sara Johnson (Julia Stiles) used to dance. That was before her mother died in
a car crash en route to Sara's Julliard audition. Now Sara lives with her
distant, but loving father in an urban Chicago neighborhood. On her first day
of school, she discovers another world previously unknown, as nearly all of
her peers are black. Making friends with the boisterous Chenille Reynolds
(Kerry Washington) and her clique, Sara becomes more comfortable with her
life. She even meets a guy, Chenille's brother Derek (Sean Patrick Thomas).
From the beginning, it's obvious the two have chemistry. As their love grows,
they face a world of endless confrontation.Though the script is soapy, Save the Last Dance succeeds tremendously in dialogue and atmosphere. Each characters talks in a unique way with their own distinct grammar rules. Frequent slang use ensures the audience will pick up some new words by the time it's over. Writers Duane Adler and Cheryl Edwards obviously spent some time observing American teenagers. There's also considerable character background so each action seems to come from somewhere deep within the subconscious. Among the issues tackled by the film are interracial dating, death of a parent, teen pregnancy, underage drinking and drug use, culture clash, racism, removed family, prison, fathers who don't support their children, and gang warfare. The social clutter piles up, especially in the third act, and the film could do without so many plot points. The pregnancy and drinking are worthy omissions. While they accurately portray the never-ending battle many youth experience today, the movie loses pace, time, and direction covering these issues. Ironically, the biggest fault is that the "last dance," for all its flashy hip-hop dancing, moves dreadfully slow. That the film remains interesting is its biggest credit. Both Stiles and Thomas have been in bad adolescent pictures before, her's being Down to You and his being Cruel Intentions. Each film provided no glimpse into any type of actual reality. They have great chemistry together, and they soar whenever the script doesn't require them to cry. There's a great scene on a subway where Sara and Derek put on a show for a woman who clearly disapproves of the two being together. To make use of the film's favorite word, the soundtrack is slammin'. KC & JoJo's hit single "Crazy" and Pink's "You Make Me Sick" are just two of the groovy songs on the must-have CD for any teen or hip-hop lover. There's very little argument over the quality of current teen-aimed flicks, but Save the Last Dance is a pleasant surprise. It offers plenty of commentary on current social issues important to modern teens, and it does so with a fresh approach and surprising intelligence. |
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