MTV should keep making movies like this. Rutina Wesley is Raya. She joins a $50,000 dance competition to fund her education. The movie covers the world of urban step dancing from the hoods of Toronto to Detroit.
The dance groups are awesome in themselves. The movie budget is obvious with the huge crowds and dance line-ups. They display synchronous movements, stomping rhythms, and some impromptu. The music is also 'sick' with deep reggae and underground hip hop. When Raya reunites with her crew, they perform to perfection in the Detroit prize-money competition, driving up in a classic until they pop its windows out. Ok a bit melodramatic,but the whole purpose was to impress. The acting also keeps me in my chair. Raya returns to live in the ghetto after her family struggles in hard times. She goes through some bitter trials to be accepted. In the end, Raya's mom shows up with the scholarship money she needed and decides to perform anyway. Raya shows serious respect for the inner city culture--uncommon in cinema. Rutina is powerfully beautiful with abs of steel. She doesn't lose herself as so many youth in the middle of the ghetto's sink-or-swim, jealousy, and the party life. It's a great message for our youth to stay focused until you accomplish your goals and not always make it about the 'mullah'.
The ending was too abrupt after the sensational Detroit dance. What I like were so many rare images and themes straight from the barrios like the struggle for money driving your decisions, the pain of starting over emotionally and mentally, and the pressures of family life. I give this a scoring opportunity on the Winning 35 yd. Line.
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