Thursday, June 21, 2007

Stomp the Yard, Movie Review & Summary

Review
I actually managed to watch the DVD, Stomp the Yard, yesterday after work. It was a very enjoyable movie both for the abundant dancing and the characters. The director filmed many of the dances scenes up close so you feel like you are right in the middle of the action. The main actors did a great job in their roles, and Columbus Short was very believable as the outsider and underdog. The plot is predictable but very enjoyable none the less, and I thought it was nice to see African-Americans portrayed in a positive way for a change.

The DVD extras included a filmmaker’s commentary which was interesting, a short documentary that is worth watching, deleted and extended dance scenes, and a gag reel. All of the extra are worth watching. This is definitely a movie worth seeing and I will probably buy a copy in the future. I would give it an 8 out of 10.

Summary
The movie is about a young man, DJ, who is into street dancing in LA, and his brother is killed after a competition. Later, his uncle who works for Truth College in Atlanta manages to get DJ scholarship. Needless to say he feels like he does not fit in, but has an instant attraction to a student, April, who not only has a jerk for a boyfriend but is the dean’s daughter.

The main character is asked to pledge several fraternities after they witness his dancing at a local club. Many of the fraternities compete in step dancing which is called stomping the yard. Stepping is a synchronized style of dancing that normally involves teams of dancers moving to very rhythmic steps. There is an annual competition every year in which the best step teams from all the colleges compete for bragging rights.

DJ chooses to go with a more academic fraternity who is constantly being beaten by another fraternity (where the jerk boyfriend steps of course). April ends up falling for DJ and her father is not happy about it. It also does not help the situation that DJ’s uncle married the woman who the dean dated in college.

The rival fraternity leaks to the ethics committee that DJ had been convicted for assault in case of his brother, and he is suspended from college and the step competition. The dean offers a deal to DJ that if he quits seeing his daughter, he will restate DJ back in school. DJ declines and his team goes off to the competition without him.

The dean’s daughter finds out what her father has done and he decides to reinstates DJ. Our main character shows up just in time for the final round of the step competition in which the two rival fraternities tie. There is a dance off, led by DJ and the ex-boyfriend, but of course our hero and his team wins.

2 comments:

Nina Munteanu said...

Good review. I'd never heard of the movie before...Have you seen Pan's Labyrinth? It's a dark "fairytale" fantasy, with graphic violence (definitely not for kids)but extemely well done, I thought. You can see my review of it here: http://sfgirl-thealiennextdoor.blogspot.com/2007/05/pans-labyrinth-innocence-has-power-evil-cannot-resist.html

Unknown said...

Sfgirl, Stomp the Yard is a story about friendship and boys' lives! It's actually thrilling to see boys dance and stomp to a beat. I totally agree with Hessmara. The dance scenes were filmed so close that one could really feel the intensity of the competition, especially in the last part!

Michelle Pendlelton