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Step Up

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 13, age appropriate for kids over 14; suggested age 13.

  • Is it any good?

    3.0
  • Common Sense says

    Clichéd dance movie with some fun moves.

Why We Rated This iffy for Ages 13–14

What to watch out for

  • Messages:

    Lying, betrayal, partying, criminal and rebellious activities; messages about teenage self-improvement.
  • Violence:

    Gang violence, street thugs, Tyler and his buddies trash the school.
  • Sex:

    Innuendoes throughout; budding romances between Tyler/Jenna and others; one student's use of synthesizers is likened to masturbation.
  • Language:

    Some profanities throughout.
  • Consumerism:

    Mild.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    References to drugs/alcohol throughout.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Step Up was written by Jane Boursaw

Parents need to know that this movie contains references to gang violence, racial unrest, and tragedies resulting from a life of poverty. Social classes are prevalent (the "privileged" and the "poor"), and lies and betrayal are part of the storyline. Tyler comes from a low-income foster home, and his life is all about parties, thugs, and criminal behavior, including a run-in with a chop-shop owner. There's some profanity and sexual innuendo.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about what Tyler could have done differently in his life, rather than resorting to crime. How could Tyler have found different friends? How do you avoid "going along with the crowd" when you know they're in the wrong? How do the adults in Tyler's life affect him? Could they have done anything differently to help him? Is the school administrator right in showing her disapproval when he wants to dance? And what about Nora's mother? Is she right to want Nora to focus on college applications, or should she nurture her daughter's love of dance?
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More on Step Up

What’s the Story?

When Tyler Gage (Channing Tatum) gets caught trashing a private performing arts school with some of his buddies, the judge sentences him to community service -- cleaning the school for several hours each day. That's where he meets Nora (Jenna Dewan), a Type-A dance student with a wannabe pop star boyfriend (Josh Henderson). Nora's working hard on the choreography for her "Senior Showcase," a dance number she hopes will land her a job with a dance company after graduation. But when her partner hurts his ankle and can't practice, she needs someone to fill his place. After auditioning a few guys who can't dance worth beans, Nora's ready to give up hope. In between mopping and cleaning, Tyler notices her frustration and says he'll do it. No matter that he doesn't know a pirouette from a glissade. She's seen his hip-hop moves and knows he can dance. Besides that, she's desperate.

Is It Any Good?

We've seen all this before in Dirty Dancing, Take the Lead, and a zillion other dance movies. Guy from the wrong side of the tracks connects with girl through the power of dancing. She needs him to break into the next phase of her dance life, and he needs her to lift him out of his pathetic life. And it all culminates in The Big Dance Number, blah, blah, blah.

Yeah, the storyline is tired and cheesy, but what saves STEP UP from cliché-dom are the fun dance numbers that make YOU want to get up and dance. Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum have great chemistry (helped along by the fact that he looks just like Wentworth Miller on Prison Break). And the actors did all their own dance moves, which lends an authenticity to the movie and saves us from having to sit through body doubles and clunky cutaway scenes.

Movie Details

Studio: Buena Vista Pictures, Director: Anne Fletcher
Run time: 98 minutes
Theatrical release: 08/11/2006, DVD release: 12/19/2006
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic elements, brief violence and innuendo

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Our Members Say

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    I rate this title on for age 12 and give it 4.0

    Great dance movie

    I thought this movie was great. I loved Channing Tatum in it! He was a awesome dancer. It showed how good of a connection nora and tyler had in the movie cause they are now married!!

  2. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0

    Tyler's brother doesnt get killed. Mac's brother gets killed. Skinny and Mac are brothers and they are Tyler's friends.

  3. Kid Reviewer Age 11
    Lives in Massachusetts
    I rate this title on for age 2 and give it 5.0

    awesome

    besides how tylers bro gets killed they should've included that yeah

  4. Teen Reviewer Age 13
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 9 and give it 5.0

    Step Up 4ever!

    This movie is amazing!anyone any age should go see it!

  5. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    Lives in Minnesota
    I rate this title on for age 13 and give it 5.0

    LOVE IT

    This movie is really good. It makes you want to get up and dance.

  6. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Maine
    I rate this title pause for age 12 and give it 4.0

    I LOVE THIS MOVIE

    This is one of my favorites,I love this movie and I love channing tatum!! You'll like this movie if you like dancing & romance movies

  7. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Maine
    I rate this title pause for age 12 and give it 1.0

    I LOVE THIS MOVIE

    This is one of my favorites,I love this movie and I love channing tatum!! You'll like this movie if you like dancing & romance movies

  8. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title off for age 0 and give it 1.0

  9. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

    Kinda cliche but still awesome.

    I loved the dancing in this movie. The soundtrack is really good. Some of the acting was a little cheesy but it was an all around awesome movie.

  10. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Florida
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

  11. Teen Reviewer Age 14
    Lives in Connecticut
    I rate this title pause for age 0 and give it 4.0

  12. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

    a great dance movie

  13. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in Arizona
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 3.0

    Entertaining

    Great dancing and music, but it feels the same as every other dance film ever made. Good for kids 10+

  14. Teen Reviewer Age 16
    Lives in New Jersey
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

    ehmagawd!

    i effing ahdore this movie, i watch it over & over & over in theaters. the ending dance is ah-mazing. i think it rocks, and channing tatum can dance! might i say, hes hot too. :] i loved it!

  15. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 4.0

    awesome movie for teenagers!!

    this movie was great for kids over 13. i wouldnt recommend that smaller children watch it because of the rating and WHY it was rated PG-13.

  16. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Ohio
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 4.0

    want to see it again

    I loved the music and dancing in this film. It was about going for what you want. Great for teens. Language(don't remember any foul words)and sexual content(kissing) PG. Does have some stuff from bad side of town, but I've seen worse. Well done. Depending on the child...10 yr old could go.

  17. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

    GREAT!

    Step up is one of my faveorite movies! It was great. Stop reading this review if you don't want to hear a spoilers. In the movie there are nasty gang members who shoot a child who was not given an age but appeared to be somewhere from 11-13. It is a little bit to real i think for anyone under 11. But my sister my mother and i whent to see it (my sister is 5) and she understood pretty well but some others might not understand as well.

  18. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in Michigan
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

    LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

    AWESOME! A must-see for any dancer!

  19. Adult Reviewer
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 5.0

    i love channing tatum

    this movie was amazing i have watched it like 1000 million billion times in theaters, and i love channing tatum he is soo sexxieee wow...like he has an awsome body....

  20. Adult Reviewer
    Lives in California
    I rate this title on for age 0 and give it 4.0

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