How She Move (2007)

67% of critics liked it
(78 reviews)
56% of users liked it
(32,161 ratings)

An aspiring medical student whose drug-addicted sister has recently died and who may be forced to relocate from her posh private school to the crime-infested neighborhood in which she was raised enters a step-dancing competition in hope of securing the funds needed to continue her education. Unable… More An aspiring medical student whose drug-addicted sister has recently died and who may be forced to relocate from her posh private school to the crime-infested neighborhood in which she was raised enters a step-dancing competition in hope of securing the funds needed to continue her education. Unable to afford the tuition needed to fund her private-school education, ambitious teen Raya returns to her family home in the city and is reluctantly forced to reevaluate her future. Upon learning that the top prize for an upcoming step-dancing competition is 50,000 dollars, Raya uses her impressive moves to earn a coveted slot in her good friend Bishop's predominately male JSJ crew. Isolated from the local females due to jealousy and separated from her fellow dancers by gender, the ambitious dancer is subsequently kicked off the team for showing off during a preliminary competition. Now, if Raya has any hope of realizing her medical-school dreams, she will have to either earn back Bishop's trust or organize her own dance crew and start over from scratch. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Ian Iqbal Rashid
Written By: Annmarie Morais
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Jan 25, 2008 Wide
On DVD: Apr 29, 2008
Studio: Paramount Vantage

Critic Reviews

David Denby, New Yorker
How She Move was shot on the cheap in 16-mm. film, and some of it is a little drab-looking, but it has energy and bravado.
Kyle Smith, New York Post
As we replay last year's step-dance hit Stomp the Yard, the ostensible message about working hard in school gets stomped out of the yard.
David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle
How She Move isn't a great film or even a terribly well-made film, but it has its moments and, of course, it has the ending it's promised all along.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Even if the setting is novel and the leads seem authentic, How She Move is all too content to step down a well-worn path.
Matt Zoller Seitz, New York Times
The strong acting, spectacular dance routines and culturally specific details in How She Move turn clichés into catharsis.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
How She Move gets it right in every dance sequence, but stumbles badly whenever the characters step offstage (or a car hood, or the sidewalk, or wherever they happen to be practicing).
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
Another week, another urban dance movie from the United States.
Austin Kennedy, Sin Magazine
The formula is so old that you can almost forgive it. What I couldn't forgive is the soap opera/O.C.-like subplots.
Kam Williams, NewsBlaze
Handles an array of pressing teen dilemmas in a refreshingly intelligent fashion for an inner city melodrama.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
How you react to How She Move may depend upon how well you like the film's music and dancing, which is about all there is to it beyond the clichés.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...has little new going for it beyond a boatload of energy and enthusiasm. And pure formula.
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
Thumbing its nose at music video ho's as sex wallpaper, How She Move's got muscular gritty girl power, as females challenge the greater strength and energy of the male performers on their own turf.
Prairie Miller, NewsBlaze
Thumbing its nose at music video ho's as sex wallpaper, How She Move's got muscular gritty girl power, as females challenge the greater strength and energy of the male performers on their own turf.
Paul Byrnes, Sydney Morning Herald
The film does have great energy, and some fabulous dancing, but the script could have done with another draft.
Anna Smith, BBC
It's a familiar set-up, but while the story falls back on clichés and trite moral messages, a few dance scenes deliver in spectacular style.
Tony Horkins, Empire Magazine
The dance scenes are fun to watch but the script's not too light on its feet.
Urban Cinefile Critics, Urban Cinefile
With its trite story the film is never going to impress the average critic, but there is energy and passion that make the film work for its target audience, and the choreography is inventive.
Matthew Turner, ViewLondon
Disappointing dance drama that suffers from a badly scripted plot, dull performances and poorly choreographed dance routines.
Tim Cogshell, Boxoffice Magazine
Seriously, it is nuts the way these kids dance.
Matt Brunson, Creative Loafing
The screenplay saddles the characters with too many scenes revolving around tired dialogue, but director Ian Iqbal Rashid compensates by staging the vigorous dance sequences as if his life -- or at least his career -- depended on it.

Read all 21 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Red L

I was shocked to find out at the end of the movie that it was filmed in Ontario. What do Canadians know about step-dancing? The movie is pretty good. Pretty difficult for the hero to balance relationships, studying for the scholarship and step-dancing.
Dean M

The killer dance moves are quite okay in this choregraphed flick as you know what I really like all-black extraordinary dance film called <i>Stomp the Yard</i> the best. This is much like what break dancing was to the 1980's, but is more of a team sport, with just a… More
The killer dance moves are quite okay in this choregraphed flick as you know what I really like all-black extraordinary dance film called <i>Stomp the Yard</i> the best. This is much like what break dancing was to the 1980's, but is more of a team sport, with just a few individual moments of solo focus.
William G

Low-key drama more impressive than most of its steppin', stompin' kin.
d j

movie was very slow, dancing moves weren't all that explosive, just seemed like a remake of stomp the yard but from a female dancers point of view instead of a guy, very,very similar storyline, but i liked stomp the yard, just didnt want to see it again.
Donna D

Had to watch this movie, only because my nephew thought it would be good. It was cheesy! Not a great dance movie or any stunning moves like other dance movies. Once was enough.
Sam C

Surprise surprise! One of these movies was finally good! Besides being slightly cliche, this movie is way better than all of its ugly siblings (see Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, etc.). I thought most of the leads did a way better job acting then any of those in the others. Not to… More
Surprise surprise! One of these movies was finally good! Besides being slightly cliche, this movie is way better than all of its ugly siblings (see Stomp the Yard, You Got Served, etc.). I thought most of the leads did a way better job acting then any of those in the others. Not to mention this movie actually proved to be way more inspirational...although just a bit forced.
Matt S

Movie was all right. Hard to rate it and watch it after watching Stomp the Yard, which was better and fresher.