Save the Last Dance (2001)
Remember the famous table dance from 10 Things I Hate About You? It made Julia Stiles seem earthy and hip, and it led to her snagging the lead role in Save the Last Dance. Any ’90s kid remembers going to see this one in the theaters. It was such a classic!
The story itself isn’t that great. Julia Stiles endures a tragedy as a teen: her mother dies while on the way to see her in a ballet concert. Understandably, Julia vows to never dance again. Since she’s a minor and still in high school, she has to move in with her dad until graduation. Her dad Terry Kinney lives in “the wrong side of town” and Julia is thrust into a new world with new classmates. As one of the only white students, she doesn’t make friends easily and it’s quite an adjustment for someone who should be in grief counselling instead of a classroom. Kerry Washington is nice to her, probably because she doesn’t have a reputation to lose. In addition to her schoolwork, she also has to juggle motherhood! Kerry’s brother is Sean Patrick Thomas, and the sparks fly between Sean and Julia.
Now comes the part everyone remembers: Sean helps rekindle Julia’s love of dance and movement. Instead of ballet, he teaches her hip hop dancing. Remember the slouching lessons? Remember when she finally lets loose at the club with the pseudo-corn rows in her hair? I doubt if this movie would be so well-received if it were made now, but twenty years ago it was edgy and full of teen escapism. Rent it to revisit your childhood, but if you’re watching it for the first time don’t expect much.
More Julia Stiles movies here!
The story itself isn’t that great. Julia Stiles endures a tragedy as a teen: her mother dies while on the way to see her in a ballet concert. Understandably, Julia vows to never dance again. Since she’s a minor and still in high school, she has to move in with her dad until graduation. Her dad Terry Kinney lives in “the wrong side of town” and Julia is thrust into a new world with new classmates. As one of the only white students, she doesn’t make friends easily and it’s quite an adjustment for someone who should be in grief counselling instead of a classroom. Kerry Washington is nice to her, probably because she doesn’t have a reputation to lose. In addition to her schoolwork, she also has to juggle motherhood! Kerry’s brother is Sean Patrick Thomas, and the sparks fly between Sean and Julia.
Now comes the part everyone remembers: Sean helps rekindle Julia’s love of dance and movement. Instead of ballet, he teaches her hip hop dancing. Remember the slouching lessons? Remember when she finally lets loose at the club with the pseudo-corn rows in her hair? I doubt if this movie would be so well-received if it were made now, but twenty years ago it was edgy and full of teen escapism. Rent it to revisit your childhood, but if you’re watching it for the first time don’t expect much.
More Julia Stiles movies here!