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"DANCE FLICK" (2009) (Damon Wayans Jr., Shoshana Bush) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Heavy Mild Heavy None Moderate Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate None Minor Mild Moderate Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Heavy None Moderate Moderate Moderate QUICK TAKE: Comedy: A young street dancer and the new girl at school are brought together by their love of dancing in this spoof of dance movies. PLOT: In this spoof of dance movies, Thomas Uncles (DAMON WAYANS JR.) and A-Con (AFFION CROCKETT) are members of a 3-man dance crew who end up owing $5,000 to sweets-crazed crime boss Sugar Bear (DAVID ALAN GRIER) when they lose a dance-off and the third man on their team, allowing rival dance crew leader Truck (CRAIG WAYANS) to win. Former dancer Megan White (SHOSHANA BUSH) is the new girl at school where her only friend is single mom Charity (ESSENCE ATKINS). Despite being a former dancer, Megan must contend with Nora (CHRISTINA MURPHY) being the favorite and most talented student of Ms. Cameltoe (AMY SEDARIS), the demanding and demeaning dance instructor who looks down on everyone else in the class, including Tracy (CHELSEA MAKELA) for being overweight. Meanwhile, the basketball coach's son, Jack (BRENNAN HILLARD), desperately wants to come out of the closet. With Thomas needing money to pay back Sugar Bear and Megan wanting to take up dancing again, it's only a matter of time before the two meet, clash and then fall for each other as another big dance-off competition looms in their future. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of spoof movies, the dance films they parody, and/or anyone in the cast, they might be interested. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For crude and sexual content throughout, and language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: DAMON WAYANS JR. plays a young street dancer who owes a lot of money to Sugar Bear, but finds himself distracted by the new girl at school, Megan. He uses some profanity and briefly beats her up (played for goofy comedy). SHOSHANA BUSH plays that new student who's always dreamed of being a dancer, and finds herself drawn to Thomas. She's seen after drunk driving in a flashback, and does some stripper style pole dancing in another scene. ESSENCE ATKINS plays Megan's only friend at school, a single mom who hangs out with some unattractive girls only to make herself look better. AFFION CROCKETT plays Thomas' friend, a street hood and part of his dance crew who has guns for hands. DAVID ALAN GRIER plays the obese crime boss to whom they owe money that he uses to buy himself more sweets. AMY SEDARIS plays the school's dance instructor, noted for her protruding genitals (under her clothing) as well as her demeaning behavior toward her students. CHRISTINA MURPHY plays her favorite student, a dancer who becomes Megan's rival. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this comedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 6 "s" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue, visual humor (including that of the shape of a woman's exaggeratedly large genitals beneath her clothing, a teen doing stripper like moves, etc.) and related jokes and material (including gay related) are also present throughout the film, as are varying amounts of cleavage and a reference to a home-made porn DVD. Comedy-based violence is present, including some hitting and struggling, a person being struck repeatedly by various vehicles, as well as slapstick style material. Comedy-based bad attitudes occur, and some material might be offensive to some viewers despite (or because of) being played for laughs. Some behavior might be enticing for kids to imitate, while various instances of crude humor are present, as is some comedy-based tense family material. There's also alcohol content, including a drunk driving gag, and a scene that includes giving a baby a drink. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE People drink in a club, and the father of Charity's baby orders a milk and a drink, but has the milk for himself and gives the drink to the baby (we hear but don't see it drinking it down). We see a flashback to Megan having been pulled over by a cop for drunk driving. At least two people and a deer and pinned between her car and others, and when she opens the door, many beer bottles and a flood of beer flows out of the car. He then makes her blow on a breathalyzer tube, with the result going up from Mel Gibson through Nick Nolte to Amy Winehouse level drunk. BLOOD/GORE The following is played for exaggerated comedy: A clothed male dancer slides across the floor and from that position, urinates up into another male dancer's face (we see the stream hitting his face). A male dancer does a move that results in his head being stuck up inside his own, clothed butt. When a blind man's mom comments on him crying, he says it's not tears, but "eye boogers" (and he removes his dark shades to reveal them under his eyes). We see a flashback to Charity spinning on her pregnant belly on the dance floor. When she comes to a stop, her baby blasts out and slides across the floor, gooey and with the umbilical cord stretching out to exaggerated lengths, ending with the baby in a reclined dance move position. We see video playback of a black acting teacher's role as a stereotypical slave, including cutting off his own lower leg (we don't see the impact, but do see him holding up the bloodless, severed limb). Nora farts when she runs and jumps into a man's lift of her into the air. Charity's boyfriend sticks his tongue into one ear and it comes out her other ear. As Thomas dances in the rain at night, we see lots of snot hanging from his nose. We see a guy with really bad (and rotted looking) teeth. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE The following is played for exaggerated comedy: Despite (or because of being) played for comedy, certain material in the film might be offensive to some viewers. That includes the portrayal of some black characters (and uses of terms such as "nigger," "my nig," "nappy-headed hos" and such), those who are overweight (Tracy) or obese (Sugar Bear and his addiction to sweets), gays (Jack and a big musical number set to "Fame" about being gay), the blind (several scenes feature a character fashioned after Ray Charles), and a baby suffering from an inattentive and not-thinking mother. There's some pushing, struggling and a few punches thrown between rival dance crews. A black man comments on various suit colors, including "Djimon Hounsou black." We see a flashback to Megan's mom being in a car crash where her vehicle ends up upside down, while a tanker truck leaks fuel. But no one rushes to save her as they instead swarm over to the truck to collect "free" gas. We hear that Megan's dad left when she was 10, and he barely helps with her copious luggage when she arrives at the train station. A guy does a rap about shooting someone and hiding the gun under the bed (he's then arrested). A blind man's mom alternates between being nice and demeaning to him. Charity leaves her toddler in her locker when she goes off to class. We see video playback of a black acting teacher's role as a stereotypical slave. Ms. Cameltoe is demeaning to her students for various reasons, including saying one girl is too skinny (adding that she's inserted tampons bigger than her), another needs to trim her bush (pubic hair, not seen directly), and that Tracy is too fat. The latter includes comments about freeing Willy (the killer whale) and that Tracy has more chins than a Chinese phone book. She then tells one student that if she were her, she'd kill herself, so the distraught girl runs and throws herself through a closed window (we don't see the impact below). Nora looks down on Megan. Charity hangs out with some unattractive girls only to make herself look better in comparison. Charity's baby nearly falls from an open window, but stops due to the baby pouch (or similar item) he's in. With the window now closed, Charity repeatedly tries to pull him inside, thus banging him several times into the glass. Megan gets a fake i.d. so that she can go to a club, and then appears completely in black face (a result of Charity -- who's black -- giving her such a makeover). People drink in a club, and the father of Charity's baby orders a milk and a drink, but has the milk for himself and gives the drink to the baby (we hear but don't see it drinking it down). There are other comedy bits about him barely having any interaction with his son. A rapper holds a gun on his audience for their money. Despite knowing how her mom died, Thomas takes Megan to see a ballet performance about just that, thus causing Megan familial grief. He then causes her guilt about being responsible for her mom's death and other ways she treated her. Nora sarcastically states that Megan might not be so tired if she wasn't having sex with Thomas. We see a flashback to Megan having been pulled over by a cop for drunk driving. The scene is played for exaggerated comedy, but some viewers sensitive about that might not like the humor. Since they don't have the money to pay back Sugar Bear, A-Con is planning a drive-by (shooting) but that never occurs. A rival steals Thomas' dance crew's signature move. FRIGHTENING SCENES None. GUNS/WEAPONS The following is played for exaggerated comedy: A-Con holds his handgun to a dance-off's master of ceremonies (who earlier mentioned something about a machine gun), followed shortly thereafter by many people doing the same. We see a chalk outline of a body and a gun on the floor in Megan's dad's place. A guy does a rap about shooting someone and hiding the gun under the bed (he's then arrested). A rapper holds a gun on his audience for their money. Charity shows that she has a handgun alongside her baby. A-Con shows that the ends of his hands are handguns, adding that his name is Edward Triggerhands. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR The following is played for exaggerated comedy: Phrases: "Back your sh*t up," "Oh sh*t," "This sh*t is dangerous," "Take your half-boner off me," "Vaginacologist," "Fools," "Loud ass," "Bitch" (women and men), "You're gonna die bitch," "What the hell?" "I'm Rick James, bitch," "Long-winded ho," "Blind bastard," "You stupid, blind son of a bitch," "Black ass," "Damn fool," "Hell yeah," "Hell no," "Jeez," "Rich bastards," "What an asshole," "Man up, dude," "Lard ass," "My bad," "Oh snap," "Chick," "Uglicia," "Sorry ass," "My nig" (written), "That's messed up," "Are you kidding me?" "Big Armenian ass," "Nigger" (said by black characters), "Let's serve these suckers," "Tight ass shorts," "Oh hell no" and "Fat boy." Various dance moves might be enticing for some kids to imitate. Various characters show bare midriffs at several points in the film, including Megan toward the end. We see miscellaneous graffiti. We see a flashback to Charity spinning on her pregnant belly on the dance floor. Charity leaves her toddler in her locker when she goes off to class. Charity's baby nearly falls from an open window, but stops due to the baby pouch (or similar item) he's in. With the window now closed, Charity repeatedly tries to pull him inside, thus banging him several times into the glass. Megan gets a fake i.d. so that she can go to a club, and then appears completely in black face (a result of Charity -- who's black -- giving her such a makeover). A miscellaneous young woman has a tattoo on her shoulder. After Megan thinks she can't perform in the dance-off, Thomas tells her to do her routine from the club, but she mistakes that from some other time in her past. We then see her doing various stripper moves (clothed), including spreading her legs wide while seated and various suggestive and gymnastic moves on a stripper pole. JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A little bit of ominous music plays in the film (but in a comedy fashion). MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) Song songs contained lyrics that we couldn't fully hear and/or understand, thus presenting the possibility of them potentially containing something objectionable. The song "Super Freak" includes the lyrics, "She's a very kinky girl. The kind you don't take home to mother. She will never let your spirits down. Once you get her off the street." A guy does a rap about shooting someone and hiding the gun under the bed (he's then arrested). PROFANITY At least 6 "s" words, 1 slang term for sex ("bonking"), at least 3 using male genitals ("d*ck," "wiener" and "c*ck" -- although the latter two are used as full or partial last names), 11 asses (1 used with "hole"), 8 damns, 6 hells, 1 S.O.B., 4 uses of "Oh my God" and 1 use of "G-damn." SEX/NUDITY The following is played for exaggerated comedy: We hear Megan state that among things she learned about herself is that Valtrex (a herpes drug) doesn't work and that she has no gag reflex (presumably an oral sex joke). In a flashback, Megan does a dance number to the song "Super Freak" (that has sexually related, but non-explicit lyrics) where she slaps herself on her clothed butt. Various miscellaneous characters show varying amounts of cleavage at several points in the film. We see a miscellaneous couple making out in a high school hallway, with a teacher stopping them, telling the guy to take that (unseen) condom off, adding that they know you can't feel anything with that. She then does a sexualized, stripper like squat to demonstrate some sexual move. To demonstrate acting and reacting, a male drama teacher smacks one of his male students. He then asks that boy is he's ready to loose his manhood, says he lost his twice and it hurt, and passionately kisses that young man. That teacher also excitedly spreads and closes his legs repeatedly. We hear that the dance instructor's name is Ms. Cameltoe and then see that she has that physical condition (protruding labia) under her leotard, seen from a distance and then in close-up. When Jack, who's obviously gay, asks his macho dad about ever wanting to try something new, his dad asks if he means "bonking a hooker." When Jack clarifies that to having a guy pin you down with his hot breath on you, his dad thinks he's referring to wrestling (the sport). Jack does a dance number set to the tune of "Fame" that's all about him being gay, including related lyrics (such as about watching another male student undress) and visuals (him being in stereotypically flamboyant gay attire, other gay men liking the dance number and lyrics, etc.). Nora farts when she runs and jumps into a man's lift of her into the air. She then ends up straddling his waist while he stands, but she then tells him to take his "half-boner" off her and to put her down, so he throws her over his shoulder and she lands hard on the floor. Charity shows varying amounts of cleavage in various outfits during the film, while Megan also shows some. Charity's boyfriend sticks his tongue into one ear and it comes out her other ear. We see a close-up of Megan's leotard covered butt while she dances, and then see that we were also viewing the same of Thomas (in a spoof moment of a scene from "Flashdance"). Thomas tells Megan he wants to be a doctor, and then clarifies that as a "vaginacologist," adding that he likes all kinds (big, small, cute, fat, etc.). About Thomas, Megan tells Charity, "I like his big..." but Charity interrupts her, saying she's talking about her (Charity's) brother. Megan then says she was going to say "butt," followed by Charity replying, "You should see his d*ck" (with the last word partially drowned out by the doorbell ringing). Nora sarcastically states that Megan might not be so tired if she wasn't having sex with Thomas. Megan then asks how she knows that, and Nora holds up a porno DVD titled something along the lines of "One Night on Megan" and shows a torso and up picture of Thomas behind Megan who's partially bent over (no nudity). When the two girls then fight, a female teacher breaks it up, but comments on the nubile teens making her moist. To resolve that, the teacher has the two girls wrestle in a small pool while scantly clad. A scene plays off high school basketball players' last names being full or partially used slang terms for male genitals ("wiener," "c*ck," "ball sack," etc.) with Jack's dad (the coach) barking various orders that become sexual innuendo in the context of the scene and its humor. Charity says her baby caught something at school and that she told him to wear a condom. Charity comments on Megan's blonde hair and perky breasts. We see a flashback to Megan having been pulled over by a cop for drunk driving. He makes her get out and tells her to blow on the tube (for an alcohol content test), so she kneels down in front of his crotch (below the camera shot), but he pulls her back up and shows her the breathalyzer tube, which she states is bigger (than his unseen penis). Megan says she has something to tell Thomas, with him nervously asking if she's pregnant (she's not). Two young women vigorously shake their clothed chests while dancing to the point that we suddenly see their exaggeratedly droopy breasts hanging down very low in their shirts (no nudity). After Megan thinks she can't perform in the dance-off, Thomas tells her to do her routine from the club, but she mistakes that from some other time in her past. We then see her doing various stripper moves (clothed), including spreading her legs wide while seated and various suggestive and gymnastic moves on a stripper pole. Doing a dance move, A-Con holds Thomas above his head doing the splits, with two little disco balls hanging down from his shorts (as testicles). Ms. Cameltoe states she was once quite good at making beat box sounds and thus gives a demo. Others note her facial lips aren't moving, but then see that her labia are (protruding out but covered by her pants, including seen in close-up). Megan and Thomas slow dance and talk non-graphically about them having sex, including her asking about "once you go black, you never go back." He then asks if she really wants this, she says yes, "Give it to me right now" and they nearly kiss. But some white guys pass by and thus she has to act as if nothing's happening. SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES The following is played for exaggerated comedy: Megan receives news that her mother has been killed (but is more upset that judges didn't like her dance routine). We hear that Megan's dad left when she was 10, and he barely helps with her copious luggage when she arrives at the train station. A blind man's mom alternates between being nice and demeaning to him. There are various comedy bits about the father of Charity's baby barely having or wanting to have contact with his son. Despite knowing how her mom died, Thomas takes Megan to see a ballet performance about just that, thus causing Megan familial grief. He then causes her guilt about being responsible for her mom's death and other ways she treated her. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Being a single mom in school. Spoof movies and what they try to play off in certain genres. The humor in the film and whether it's offensive. VIOLENCE The following is played for exaggerated comedy: There's some pushing, struggling and a few punches thrown between rival dance crews. A dancer spins so fast that he ends up drilling himself down through the floor. As Thomas' dance crew member slides across the floor on just his head, a rival pours oil on the floor, causing the dancer to bowl over some people in his way, bounce down some steps, slide across the street, and then fall off a bridge (we don't see the impact below). We see a flashback to Megan practicing her dance moves at home and accidentally kicking several people who are nearby. We see a flashback to Megan's mom being in a car crash where her vehicle ends up upside down. She eventually gets out, only to have a car strike her, followed by an SUV and then a truck, the last one sending her into her pre-dug grave. A blind man falls down through an open manhole in the street. Hot coffee accidentally spills on a woman's lap. To demonstrate acting and reacting, a male drama teacher smacks one of his male students. He later pushes a student out of his classroom. We see video playback of a black acting teacher's role as a stereotypical slave, including cutting off his own lower leg (we don't see the impact, but do see him holding up the bloodless, severed limb). Ms. Cameltoe is demeaning to her students for various reasons, including telling one that if she were her, she'd kill herself. The distraught girl then runs and throws herself through a closed window (we don't see the impact below). Nora farts when she runs and jumps into a man's lift of her into the air. She then ends up straddling his waist while he stands, but she then tells him to take his "half-boner" off her and to put her down, so he throws her over his shoulder and she lands hard on the floor. Charity's baby nearly falls from an open window, but stops due to the baby pouch (or similar item) he's in. With the window now closed, Charity repeatedly tries to pull him inside, thus banging him several times into the glass. Excited about a song and thus out of control, Thomas hits a guy over the head with a glass and then gets him in a headlock, with both then disappearing down out of the camera shot. Thomas shows Megan how to do a chest to chest bump, but when she does that too hard to him, he punches her, followed by several views of him jumping, falling and otherwise landing on her (we don't see the impact). Sugar Bear sweeps away a plate and throws a lamp in anger. Nora and Megan end up struggling in the school gym after one tackles the other. Megan tries to leave, but a chain around her yanks her off her feet to the floor. As Thomas dances in the rain at night, he's struck by lightning. Charity doesn't pay attention as her baby goes down a playground slide and whacks into something (we hear the sound). Thomas pushes his rival who shoves him back. The master of ceremonies then touches the rival and then punches Thomas in the chest, signaling the challenge for a dance-off. A dancer flies through the air in slow motion and then lands hard on the dance floor. Sugar Bear dances during a dance-off, and due to being very obese, he crashes through the dance floor three times. He then leaps at a rival and lands on him, with a view of that rival's mostly flattened head on the dance floor (but he's still alive). Reviewed May 20 / Posted May 22, 2009

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