Parents' Guide to

Getting to the Nutcracker

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Compelling docu about young dancers who live for ballet.

Movie NR 2014 98 minutes
Getting to the Nutcracker Poster Image

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In Getting to the Nutcracker, filmmakers take viewers behind the curtain for a captivating look at the dancers who make this classic ballet come to life. And, refreshingly, it's not a big-name dance company that gets the scrutiny; it's an L.A. school where the future's best dancers might be waiting in the wings.

Dancing is hard, and making a movie about it is harder still. What makes Getting to the Nutcracker appealing is also its biggest weakness: lack of star power. While it's wonderful to meet the likes of Mikhael, Matissem and Elizabeth -- and lovely to see Marat at work with the kids -- there doesn't seem to be much tension in the storyline. You never doubt that the ballet will be staged beautifully. To watch this film is to appreciate ballet in all its beauty -- the cinematography is stunning -- but expect little to no drama to propel the story.

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