Center Stage: Critic Reviews

Center Stage is all dancing and hugging and no good.

Nicholas Hytner's movie might be subtitled Beverly Hills 90210 Goes to Juilliard.

In terms of story and characters, this film pirouettes into the orchestra pit.

Fortunately, it also contains several more complex characters who manage to make the film a surprisingly engaging affair.

It's a bad joke.

Assuming that every generation needs its own dance film, Hytner revists the turf of films like Turning Point (classic ballet), Chrous Line (Broadway dancing) and Saturday Night Fever (disco) and blends together their themes and persona to little effect.

Embarrassingly enjoyable.

Unfortunately, in between the dance sequences, the actors are allowed to talk. This is a problem.

Melodramatic, a bit racy -- some teens will love.

If I was a 12 year old girl who takes any sort of dance classes, this would be my favorite film of all time...but I'm not.

...not only insultingly stupid but weirdly dull.

Ethan Steifel's unforgettable dancing seems to defy the laws of gravity -- and without computerized special effects.

Does one kid turn out to be bulimic? Does someone proclaim, "I'm not dancing for them anymore -- I'm dancing for myself"? You need not see "Center Stage" to correctly guess the answers to those questions.

Offers insights into the rigors, foibles, physical pain, and competitiveness in the modern world of ballet.

Center Stage proves that it's hard to make a bad dance movie.

[Hytner's] widescreen direction of the many dance sequences has a snap to it the likes of which hasn't been seen in studio musical filmmaking for years.

Although Center Stage doesn't really find its groove until the last act, its dance numbers are well worth the price of admission.

Center Stage isn't going to live forever.

Ultimately the story line here is as stupid as the final 'rock' ballet.

A joyous celebration of youth and show business.

It is so bad, it actually made me realize that life doesn't hold try-outs and I should use my time doing better things than watching Center Stage.

Lacks brio.

If only Hytner had chucked the cliched script and turned Center Stage into a full-blown song-and-dance musical, the movie might have been something special.

While it seems like Hytner was aiming for something like Fame, the end result is more like a nudity-free Showgirls for the pre-teen set.

It's hard to imagine who might be seduced by this predictable, sugary ballet cartoon.