Story: Emily
Anderson (Kathryn
McCormick), a girl who wants to make it big with her moves, meets Sean (Ryan Guzman), falls in love with him, and soon joins his dance troop. Perfect ending? Not really since MOB (the dance troop) has got to win a contest for a major sponsorship opportunity.
Review: After dancing its way across Baltimore and New York City in previous iterations, Step Up moves to Miami, where homeboys Sean (Ryan Guzman) and Eddy (Misha Gabriel) have been best buds since toddler-hood and now lead a local dance flash mob known as, well, “The Mob,” just to keep things simple.
Together with their crew, including choreographers, visual artists and a DJ, the guys have been busting out surprise dance numbers all over Miami and shooting video to compete in a YouTube contest to win $1 million.
Sean’s day job as a waiter at a luxury hotel helps support his dance habit and pay the rent on the house he shares with his single-mom sister (Megan Boone) and niece.
When Emily Anderson (Kathryn McCormick) turns up at the hotel – owned by her father Bill (Peter Gallagher), a ruthless real-estate developer — for a summer of bartending while preparing to audition for a coveted spot with a high-toned local dance company, attraction inevitably sparks between the two.
As it turns out, aloof Emily needs Sean’s help more than she suspects. Seems that the dance company director (Mia Michaels) thinks Emily is a talented performer but wound a bit too tightly to be truly creative.
So if she wants to make it onto the roster, Emily is going to need some new moves, which she figures Sean can help deliver once she discovers he’s one of the motivators behind The Mob.
After her video debut, a sexy number in a crowded, fancy restaurant, draws millions of hits online, Emily’s brought on with the group as they plan their next outrageous “mission.”
However there’s one major obstacle looming over the pair’s romantic bliss and professional success: Emily’s dad is determined to build a new luxury development after razing the multiracial community where Sean lives and hangs out with other Mob members.
Although Sean agrees to keep Emily’s identity concealed while she rehearses and performs with his crew, if word gets out, his street cred will be totally shot, which could complicate that business about winning the YouTube video contest.
Emily has another idea, though, encouraging Sean and The Mob to stand up to her dad’s development plans with some proactive dance interventions.
Abercrombie & Fitch model Guzman looks every bit the metrosexual romantic lead, but also makes a credible partner for So You Think You Can Dance star McCormick.
Fortunately, neither is called upon to stretch too far in the acting department and both are able to get by with good looks and flashy moves.
Supporting castmembers are adequate if not outstanding, but it’s the choreographers, led by franchise vet Jamal Sims, who really put the shine on the production.
If you’ve ever cheered for Moose (Adam Sevani) and his moves, then you know Step Up is a cultural phenomenon.
The soundtrack features performances by Far East Movement (with an assist from Justin Bieber), M.I.A., M83, Diplo, Timbaland and J.Lo.
So you think you can (handle all that) dance? Then go for it…. (Agencies)