How She Move

When her sister’s drug-related death forces her to drop out of private school, a teenager (Rutina Wesley) turns to competitive step-dancing to earn the money to continue her education and, she hopes, go on to college and medical school. Annmarie Morais’ formulaic script piles on far more contrivances than it needs, and while performances are sincere (including Dwain Murphy as Wesley’s new boyfriend and Tre Armstrong as an estranged pal), Morais gives the actors attitudes rather than characters to play. In addition, director Ian Iqbal Rashid doesn’t always seem sure where to place the camera. But any misgivings get swept aside whenever the dancing starts, and fortunately, it doesn’t stop for long. The climactic dance contest (the outcome of which, of course, is never in doubt) is a real barn-burner.