I must warn you this review is heavy with spoilers, but not really that much about the ending or anything that'll ruin your watching it.
Let's begin with the good points so that I'm not eaten alive by close-minded teenybopper fans. The choreography is pretty good (especially the tango), and Selena Gomez is a surprisingly impressive dancer. Some moments are cute enough, and a few jokes I laughed at. This is a nice enough movie to watch and enjoy with girl friends, where you can try and figure out with character represents which element from the actual Cinderella story.
However, there's a lot more that I think the movie could've improved on. Not only was it the most predictable thing on earth (a talented young underdog rises to the top, blah blah) and I could figure out the rest of the plot from the first ten minutes, but it was also pretty much exactly the same as "A Cinderella Story" with different actors/characters. Some rich conceited stepmother and her two dimwitted daughters with some white-knight, goodhearted heroine who has to cook and clean while she sighs and waits for her celebrity-status Prince Charming to rescue her. You might say that its being predictable is expected, but this isn't Disney. With some of its jokes and slightly suggestive dance moves, Disney wouldn't lay a finger on such things for the screen. The movie should've at least tried to be a little more original.
I'm a little sad that they didn't elaborate on Mary's past with her mother. All we hear is a quick passing comment from her stepmother about how she used to be her backup dancer. But I guess that wasn't the point of the movie, so I won't complain too much.
Finally, Miss Gomez needs some work on her acting. I really appreciate her taking two months of dance class for this film, and it shows and entertains, but all she can do is stick to her preppy, girly "version" of acting she acquired from Wizards of Waverly Place. In fact (spoiler), there is a part where she supposedly runs home crying. Her stepmother says something along the lines of, "You look like you've been crying, or are your eyes naturally puffy?" She is met by a blank, non-expressive stare, without any tear stains on her face or at least some ACTUALLY PUFFY EYES. I guess that the age target of this movie wouldn't mind that much, though. But it could've been so much better while still entertaining its audience.
Let's begin with the good points so that I'm not eaten alive by close-minded teenybopper fans. The choreography is pretty good (especially the tango), and Selena Gomez is a surprisingly impressive dancer. Some moments are cute enough, and a few jokes I laughed at. This is a nice enough movie to watch and enjoy with girl friends, where you can try and figure out with character represents which element from the actual Cinderella story.
However, there's a lot more that I think the movie could've improved on. Not only was it the most predictable thing on earth (a talented young underdog rises to the top, blah blah) and I could figure out the rest of the plot from the first ten minutes, but it was also pretty much exactly the same as "A Cinderella Story" with different actors/characters. Some rich conceited stepmother and her two dimwitted daughters with some white-knight, goodhearted heroine who has to cook and clean while she sighs and waits for her celebrity-status Prince Charming to rescue her. You might say that its being predictable is expected, but this isn't Disney. With some of its jokes and slightly suggestive dance moves, Disney wouldn't lay a finger on such things for the screen. The movie should've at least tried to be a little more original.
I'm a little sad that they didn't elaborate on Mary's past with her mother. All we hear is a quick passing comment from her stepmother about how she used to be her backup dancer. But I guess that wasn't the point of the movie, so I won't complain too much.
Finally, Miss Gomez needs some work on her acting. I really appreciate her taking two months of dance class for this film, and it shows and entertains, but all she can do is stick to her preppy, girly "version" of acting she acquired from Wizards of Waverly Place. In fact (spoiler), there is a part where she supposedly runs home crying. Her stepmother says something along the lines of, "You look like you've been crying, or are your eyes naturally puffy?" She is met by a blank, non-expressive stare, without any tear stains on her face or at least some ACTUALLY PUFFY EYES. I guess that the age target of this movie wouldn't mind that much, though. But it could've been so much better while still entertaining its audience.