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31 out of 44 people found the following comment useful :- A very touching story, with some good points, 20 February 2001 Author: stefaffi from Virginia
I really wanted to see this movie, I like Julia Stiles in her other movies (Down to You, 10 Things I Hate About You) and think that she is a very talented actress. I was not disappointed.As for this movie... I am very impressed. I feel that Julia portrayed very real emotion and reactions to losing her mother, and placing the blame for losing her mother firmly on herself is the reaction that most people would have in that circumstance. The train scene in the beginning sets a very good foundation for the rest of the movie, and it goes from there. To those who would say that her acting is overdone, I say put yourself in those shoes: you've lost your Mom, best friend, confidante, and the foundation your entire world rests on, and think how it would affect you.There are some parts of the movie that are slightly cliched.. dancing as she walks under the L - we saw Jennifer Grey dance her way up a flight of stairs in "Dirty Dancing" - but then again, not much in life hasn't been done before, so I don't count that against it. Even Nikki is a believable character - I know there were quite a few like her when I was in high school! While it seems improbable that Sara would instantly fit in with her new crowd, it is made believable by Stile's portrayal of Sara as a slightly self-conscious, but not shy person, who will take a person at face value while still believing in the inherent good of people in general. The match with Derek is natural, since they share these traits.There are a few unbelievable parts - the empty studio (complete with barre) that she practices in with Derek, Steps, Sarah offering to walk the 5 blocks home alone, Sara dancing ballet (not that she didn't dance well, just that Stiles body is not standard for classical ballet) but all in all, I feel that this is a very touching movie, and would recommend it to everyone female, even my Grandmother (the language may be shocking, but she was in the Army, I know she's heard worse :)
40 out of 65 people found the following comment useful :- only my new favorite movie!, 8 July 2004 Author: qwho from USA
I just finished watching this terrific movie, I had always meant to see it but somehow never got around to it. This time when I came across it in the video store and saw that Julia Stiles was in it, I had to get it. I did not know who she was when the movie was released, but have since enjoyed her in Mona Lisa Smile and the Prince and Me and couldn't wait to see her in this film. This was the best work I have seen her do to this point. It was so much better than I expected, based on the meager 6.1 stars it received overall on IMDb...Julia was wonderful in it, as was Sean Patrick Thomas. Their chemistry was terrific and the story was riveting and the dancing awesome (both the ballet and the dancing throughout the movie.) I don't know how much of the dancing Julia actually did, but all of it was beautifully done.The film was sweet, touching and violent, and worked in all aspects. The rest of the casting was very good too, all the performances were terrific.I will buy it on DVD asap...it was that good! I think it will be enjoyed by men and women, I can't wait to have my teenage son see it. Truly a must see!
20 out of 26 people found the following comment useful :- Clichéd, but better than I expected it to be, 21 May 2002 Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK
When Sara's mother is killed in a car accident she comes to live in a predominately black area in Chicago. She is befriended by black Chenille and starts to fall for her brother Derek. Derek teaches her the latest hip-hop dances to help her fit in and together they begin to fall for each other. However a white girl seeing a clever black man is never going to be popular and the couple must overcome many obstacles to see their dreams and be true to themselves.Did someone say `a black Dirty Dancing?' Essentially that's what this is, although the story is naturally a bit more urban than that film. The story is about overcoming to reach your dreams, and it does it quite well – better than I expected. The love story is nice without being too romanticised. The obstacles are the usual things in an `urban' film – the challenge of mixed race relationships, the temptation to back up your crew instead of getting out etc. These are quite cliched but are still well done.My main problem came with the strength of black culture in the film…not every black person (even in a poor area) talks like a gangsta…and not everyone says `aiiiirite' – and why did Sara only become accepted when she started to imitate black culture and speak in that way. It may be realistic, but I felt that Sara should have been allowed to be herself rather than be seen to be assimilated into the hip-hop culture (I don't mean that she shouldn't have got involved with the scene – but did she have to lose part of herself to get there?). However these are minor side issues that many people won't even think about.The cast are good for MTV teens. Julia Stiles is cool and Thomas is cute and charming. The rest of the cast fall into so many black stereotypes – we have gangsta friend, baby mothers galore, useless baby father, jealous bitchy ex-girlfriends etc. However they are just what you expect so I wasn't too upset. Fredro Starr was cool as Malakai – even if the character was just one big hood cliché.The soundtrack is hot and the dance scenes are sexy – I wish I could do it! They are much more enjoyable than Dirty Dancing's scenes – although some day this will feel dated too! Overall I expected another piece of MTV teen tat, but I was pleasantly surprised by a story that, despite being ridden with clichés, is actually very involving and enjoyable.
29 out of 45 people found the following comment useful :- Breaking down the barriers of racism., 20 February 2001 Author: (robyn_mallia@yahoo.ca) from Canada
This movie does what few movies over the past year or so have been able to do. It takes you to a place which actually exists and it takes real issues head on. Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas give real performances they do not come off as "cardboard" characters but as real human beings. The plot was simple enough to be good, it didn't require you having a past knowledge of the world of dance but yet didn't rule you out if you weren't black with a bunch of "black talk". This movie talks to teens. We are able to understand the pressures that surround us, the music we listen to, and just our world. Sure, you have your typical characters but what movie doesn't. Go see the film and then make up your mind. It is one of my favourite new films for the past few years.
19 out of 26 people found the following comment useful :- More Than I Expected, 16 January 2001 Author: (nikita_5952@yahoo.com)
Okay, so it won't bring home a little golden guy. . .it's from MTV Films for crying out loud. But who says everything has to? I will say this; this movie actually had a little more substance than what I walked in expecting. I went to the theater on opening night with 5 girlfriends expecting to hear some good music and see some good choreography and scenery of Chicago--a city I dearly love. I got all of that. But I also got a glimpse of broken homes, the dynamic between a father and daughter who don't know each other, friends who've gone by the wayside that you still don't want to let go of, I could say more. Oh, and the thing that really still pisses people off though it's 2001. . .interracial relationships. I'm not saying the plot isn't a little rehashed, but there's not a whole lot that's new out there. No, it's not a great film--I give it a B, but I'd see it again. In fact I did see it again with another set of friends on Saturday night. All in all, I saw this movie with 10 friends of varying sex, age and race and all of us liked it. I think that's a pretty good showing.
14 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :- A Pleasant Surprise, 14 January 2001 Author: acidcross (acidcross@hotmail.com) from Los Angeles, California
Promos for Save the last Dance have been running for quite a while now and everytime i would see one i would go. "i have to see this movie", but naother part of me was going "but what if this is just another teen film". I went with my initial instinct and saw the movie and i'm glad i did. This film is so much more than just a teen film. in fact i saw a lot of adults in the audience when i saw it. Save the Last Dance really makes you think about some of the issues that are addressed in the film.The plot revolves around Sara Johnson(Julia Stiles) who moves to a very bad part of Chicago with her dad after her mom is killed in a car accident. her mom is killed during this accident while trying to rush to see sara try out for Julliard. Sara is so heart borken by this event that she holds off on dance. When she arrives to chicago she attends a mostly black highschool and has to learn to fit in. She meets Chenille(Kerry Washington) who shows her the ropes and how to get around in school. She also meets her brother Derek(Sean Patrick Thomas)who had a shaddy past but now has dreams of going to georgetown and becoming a doctor. Soon they all begin to hang out and go to this hip hop club called steps. Soon derek is showing sara how to dance like them and she picks up on it pretty quickly. soon they meet afterschool and practice and he learns that she once did ballet and that passion for dance soon turns into a romance for the both of them. problems arise when this interacial pairing is put to the test on many occasions.The acting by everyone is pretty good but it's the chemistry of the 2 leads that carry the film. Julia Stiles is a very talented actress who is really breaking out in the industry and i hope more adult work comes her way that will trully test her talent. Sean Patrick Thomas is also good as Derek. he has a very low key charisma and fascinating screen prescence. when these 2 are together however the film becomes so much better because their chemistry is so strong that you honestly want them to be together. The Acting by the supporting cast, especially fredro starr and Kerry Washington is also good.The music and Dancing are a real highlight. the hip hop scenes are very fun and energetic and one of the best aspects of the film. also the scenes where derek is tryng to teach sara how to dance is when the film is at its best..I really recommend this film because it was very enjoyable and shouldn't be written off as just naother teen flick. check it out. B+
10 out of 13 people found the following comment useful :- Too clichéd to be really interesting, 28 April 2001 Author: AKS-6 from Sweden
*** This comment may contain spoilers ***
[This comment contains SPOILERS!]The main problem with Save the Last Dance is that it is too clichéd. We've been there, done that several times before. Also, some scenes were very embarrassing because they were so silly. E.g. when Sara is auditioning and Derek runs up on stage. Oh please... The same point could have been made in a more subtle way. Having said that, though, I must say that the film was also very entertaining, the music was great and the acting was more than just okay, especially Julia Stiles was impressive. (5/10)
6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :- Slammin'? Kinda...., 13 January 2001 Author: Skippy-60 from Erin, Ontario
Let's get one thing straight. Teen movies are starting to get unbearable. So it is a relief when something like "Save the Last Dance" comes along and offers something up that's just a little off of redundancy. There seems to be a lot going on here, with the main characters dealing with everything from death of loved ones to single parenthood to racial issues. You don't see THAT often in teen movies! But what it really comes down to is DANCE! Julia Stiles plays a former ballet dancer whose dreams are self-imposingly dashed by a tragic event, and the rest of the movie is about her re-chasing her dream in totally different circumstances than what she's used to (mainly: being the only white girl in a rough Chicago all-black neighbourhood). The movie does touch upon a lot of issues, as previously mentioned, but none of them are explored enough to give the film a lot of substance. What does make the film somewhat enjoyable is the dance sequences and the performances. There seems to be a real chemistry between Stiles (who's great in everything she does!) and Sean Patrick Thomas, who is really talented! I've only seen him in supporting roles, but this film shows he can be a leading man. The scene stealer award goes to Kerry Washington, who is so much fun in every one of her scenes. I hope to see a lot more of her in the future. IN A NUTSHELL: It's good to see a teen film that deals with more issues than just prom dates, and it will make you think, but it's not deep enough to be more than just a "dance" movie in the same vain as "Centre Stage" and "Dirty Dancing", culminating in long dance routine by Stiles, and when the routine is over, everything is resolved. Are all the issues REALLY resolved? Only in Hollywood!! Skippy's Rating: 7/10
6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :- basically break-dance for the millennium, 17 June 2006 Author: raypdaley182 from Coventry
girl moves to big city. rough neighborhood. with the emphasis on the Hood part. moves to a school where being white is being a minority. hooks up with the local fly girls who take her to the street clubs. then one girls brother wants her to dance. basically then the plot of break-dance takes over.black boy wants to make good and be a doctor. she wants to regain her dream of being a ballet dancer.the lead girl isn't much on acting.basically i don't like this film, nothing worse than seeing a film where it's pretty much already been done before and they just fiddled with the plot a tad to bring it into a modern day context.Oh, and the scenes of the black guy watching her practice ballet, not likely. her teacher would either never let him in the room or kick him out in seconds and it'd probably have earned her a pass to the street. most dance classes hate having people watch who aren't taking part. also it'd be unlikely for Sarah to be out doing club dancing before an audition for fear of getting hurt or pulling something. ballet dancers become obsessed with things like that, not getting hurt.the "oil and milk don't mix" comment was a bit unneeded. plus you know when she invites him in the house and puts on true colors they are going to have a really unnecessary sex scene. and a rubbish soft focus badly cut one at thatthe basketball game? no way. Sarah is due to have an audition, firstly she wouldn't even want to be doing sports. let alone fighting with someone. in the hospital the black kids look at Sarah as though they've never seen a white person.also far too many of the black characters are given very bad attitudes about themselves and their relationships to white people. I'd be interested to know what the ethnic origin of the films writer and producer were on this film.and Derek doing a "your mother" comment during his argument with Sarah? How biased was that?and why the hell is Sarah training for ballet audition with Derek anyway? How the hell can he help her in any way, shape or form?When Derek is asked if he'll help his friend to take revenge it's obvious someone is going to get hurt when that happens and it's more likely to be Derek, the smart black guy who wants to be a Doctor.Sarah's dad is poorly written with little to do and say but there to make her seem more vulnerable.An annoying line that gets used to often is "Why you tripping on that". What the hell does it even mean. Oh, and bull-crap way Mordecai's car blew up when it got shot? NOT going to happen, it's really hard to shoot a petrol tank.even the grooving judges was stolen wholesale from the end of break-dance, and it would have been unlikely that the audition judges would have given Sarah a second chance to do her contemporary dance for a place like Juliard.
10 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :- I HATE MOVIES LIKE THIS., 15 June 2002 Author: Natasha Coger from Chicago
I hate movies like this. They're all the same, some white girl falls for some black. The black guy is of course rough and tough, but has the sweetest heart underneath it all. Yeah right. Only in the movies.I happen to be a black female, 22, and I get so sick of the way they have black people act in films. The black girls always have that "attitude". We don't all have an attitude, but you never would know that, if you watch movies. It just bugs me, this movie bugs me. Why can't the white girl ever date a black guy who isn't from the "Hood"?
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