Director: Scott Speer
Starring: Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman, Misha Gabriel Hamilton, Peter Gallagher.
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Runtime: 99 mins. Reviewed in Aug 2012

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Rating notes: Mild coarse language and violence

There was a spate of dancing films a couple of years ago, stories of groups, generally from poorer areas of big cities, going in for competitions, especially in the streets. There were rivalries, clashes, rehearsals and big finales. Just when it seemed they had quietened down, along comes Step Up, Miami Heat. In fact, it’s the fourth in the series.

While the dancers might come from an older and poorer part of the city, this is no slum show. The production numbers are big budget, lots of dancers, costumes, art design, IT backup with a finale that would rival the opening of the 2012 Olympic games (with infinitely less rehearsal time and finance for a lavish show that seems to come from nowhere – or has been forgotten by the script writers). Actually, there are no rehearsal scenes at all except a few minutes for the last show. We don’t see any real preparations. Everything seems to happen overnight, everything ready on time, the dancers not putting a foot wrong. It’s impossibly happy. There is an explanation of who’s who in the group, which is called The Mob – but where they get money from is a mystery, especially since the mastermind of The Mob works as a hotel waiter and is sacked from his job. Nevertheless, the show must go on – and it does.

There’s romance. The main dancer, Sean (Ryan Guzman) also a waiter, meets a girl (Kathryn McCormick), dances with her, falls in love. She turns out to be the daughter of the millionaire who wants to tear down this section of Miami to build hotels, shops etc (Peter Gallagher). The Mob does performances in public places, films them and posts them on YouTube (the film is an extended promotion of YouTube) to win a contest for most hits. With the development threatening, they move to protest dancing. They are a sensation with TV show commentators (actual ones, and well-known) all extolling them.

Do they stop the building? Is there reconciliation? Do hero and heroine have a happy ending? Is there some money for everyone at the end? Sorry, that might have spoilt the surprise!!

A lively and colourful show, exuberant and acrobatic and gymnastic performances, sweetness and light. Nobody is really a villain.