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Movies / On DVD / Save the Last Dance
Save the Last Dance

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Save the Last Dance (2001)

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Reviews Counted:96

Fresh:51

Rotten:45

Average Rating:5.5/10

Consensus: This teen romance flick feels like a predictable rehashing of other movies.

Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: Sara's life is devoted to dance -- she wants nothing more than to make it into New York's famous Julliard School. But when tragedy strikes and she loses her mom, her hopes are dashed and she buries... Sara's life is devoted to dance -- she wants nothing more than to make it into New York's famous Julliard School. But when tragedy strikes and she loses her mom, her hopes are dashed and she buries her dreams of ever attending the country's best dance school.

Without her Mom to support her, Sara moves to the tough streets of Chicago's South side to live with her Dad -- a down on his luck jazz musician who she barely knows. Her new school's a totally different world from the small town she grew up in, but Sara's quick comebacks and sassy attitude earn her the quick respect and friendship of straight-talking Chenille. But it's Chenille's brother, Derek, the cool and good-looking star of the school, who grabs Sara's attention. He plays it up tough, but he also has the smarts and a plan to go to medical school.

When Chenille takes Sara to Steppes, the neighborhood hang, she gets her first taste of hip-hop -- and Derek's the one to show her the moves. When they discover they share a passion for dance, they discover that there's something deeper going on -- a passion for each other. But they soon find out the hard way that they must not only overcome their own differences, but the resentment and bad blood of their friends and family. As the school year goes on, the couple finds that their affection and devotion to each other could ultimately threaten Derek's hopes for a better life and Sara's rediscovery of her dance.

Yet against all the odds they overcome the obstacles to their dreams, and discover that ultimately the only person you have to be is...yourself. [More]

Starring: Julia Stiles, Sean Patrick Thomas, Terry Kinney, Fredro Starr

Starring: Julia Stiles, Sean Patrick Thomas, Terry Kinney, Fredro Starr, Kerry Washington, Bianca Lawson

Director: Thomas Carter

Director: Thomas Carter
Producer: Robert W. Cort, David Madden
Screenwriter: Duane Adler, Cheryl Edwards
Composer: Mark Isham
Studio: Paramount Pictures

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Save the Last Dance

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Reviews
Tomatometer Critic Review Category
tomato

As teen melodrama, well, Carter's film is what it is; but for such a mainstream black-consciousness movie, at least it doesn't shy from addressing some touchy issues about masculinity, parenthood, and black attitudes to whites.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 24 2006 03:38 AM

Time Out

tomato
3/5

Matthew Turner

Likeable teen romance that overcomes its inevitable predictability thanks to its talented cast and its avoidance of both clichés and syrupy sentimentality.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 30 2002 08:32 AM

ViewLondon

tomato
3/5

Rich Cline

Ballet meets hip-hop in this warmly enjoyable yet unambitious teen romance.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 10 2001 06:36 PM

Shadows on the Wall

tomato
3/4

Ian Waldron-Mantgani

A surprisingly effective piece of work.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jul., 03 2001 12:02 PM

UK Critic

splat
2/5

Michael Thomson

It's just a pity for the actors and the audience that the theme of conquering one's background, prejudices, and limitations has to be spelled out in block capitals.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 16 2001 12:01 PM

BBC

splat
2/5

Colin Kennedy

Patronising hybrid of a myriad of other teen movies. Don't bother, just watch them instead.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 30 2001 04:54 PM

Empire Magazine

N/R

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Apr., 29 2009 03:15 AM

Cinema Crazed

splat
1/5

Stacie Hougland

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Nov., 20 2008 03:15 AM

Hollywood.com

splat
2/4

Michael Dequina

Ultimately, this talented twosome [Stiles and Thomas] can only do so much with a script that continually lets them down at about every turn.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 06 2005 07:48 PM

TheMovieReport.com

tomato
4/5

Susannah Breslin

Performances throughout are solidly decent.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Dec., 06 2005 07:48 PM

Film Threat

splat
C+

Eugene Novikov

It's not courageous enough to deviate from the teen movie formula more than a smidgeon.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 22 2003 05:17 PM

Film Blather

tomato
2.5/4

Jim Shelby

Sara's got a sense of humor about how very uncool she is, and she proves to be a game girl.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | May., 20 2003 05:17 PM

Palo Alto Weekly

splat
2.5/5

Kimberly Jones

To the film's credit, it tries, and while it never really sings, it does deliver the dance.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 10 2003 08:52 AM

Austin Chronicle

tomato
C+

Robert Roten

Tries to squeeze in a few too many plot elements into too short a time.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 02 2003 08:43 AM

Laramie Movie Scope

tomato
3.5/5

John R. McEwen

Stiles and Thomas redeem this film over and over. And the dancing is fun to watch, too.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Feb., 08 2003 08:33 AM

Film Quips Online

tomato

Jean Lowerison

Carter has given us a pleasant enough, if not especially original film.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 21 2002 08:29 AM

San Diego Metropolitan

tomato
2/5

Ralph Brave

There are enough respectable social messages here.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Oct., 10 2002 08:27 AM

Sacramento News & Review

tomato

James Sanford

If "Dance" stumbles into a few too many subplots and a couple of cliched characters along the way, it also makes some strong points about contemporary attitudes toward the idea of interracial romances.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Jun., 10 2002 06:31 PM

Kalamazoo Gazette

N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 24 2002 08:18 AM

Boston Phoenix

tomato
2.5/4

Liam Lacey

A refreshingly friendly view of a romance between people of different pigmentation, an area where more respectable pictures still wimp out.

Full Review Source: | comment Comment | Mar., 22 2002 08:18 AM

Globe and Mail

 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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all

Latest News for Save the Last Dance

February 13, 2008: Total Recall: It's a Dance Dance Revolution
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If you watched "Live Free or Die Hard" and thought, "Gee, what I'd really like to see is Mary Elizabeth Winstead with less clothing and more dancing," this... More...

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