Let's be realistic.

I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

You know how people say about musicals "oh, it's just a bunch of singing for no reason?" This is that, but dancing and violin.First, the pros: The movie was visually very nice (except for the choice to include strobing lights, which people should really stop doing). The dance sequences were amazing and fun. The climax involved a plot point I didn't see coming. The characters of the hip hop group are great (especially Pop-Tart). The protagonist is likable. There's this whole Fame vibe going on with the Manhattan conservatory. Jane Seymour is in it.Cons: Johnnie is terrible, and at no point did I want Ruby to end up with him. The movie wants to give us dark and brooding, but instead he either : 1. is outright rude to Ruby 2. Comes on EXTREMELY strong, in a very creepy way. They also have no chemistry. The lead dancer in the troupe, Hayward, has more chemistry with Ruby in the few minutes they're on screen together than Johnnie and Ruby do in the whole movie, to the point that I briefly rooted for Hayward and Ruby to kiss.The dance sequences are all long and basically don't move the plot, at least one lacks explanation (although to some extent the inexplicability was something that kept me going). This movie has very little plot.The whole plot with the roommate, Jazzy, is never really explained or settled (were we supposed to take that whole thing at face value? That ending felt way too neat, in real life there would definitely be an underlying reason why she did what she did). The movie couldn't quite keep up with the amount of characters it had. There's a point where two women giggle and squeal and hit each other with pillows, which... look, I haven't met every woman in the world, but grown women who have just met usually don't behave this way. Watch if you want to watch some really cool dancing, skip if you want to watch a movie for the plot.

My wife and I watched this at home on Netflix streaming. She is a ballet dancer on scholarship in NYC, he plays violin in the subway for handouts.I didn't know who Keenan Kampa was before seeing this movie but afterwards I found out she not only has been dancing since very young, she has won many competitions and for a few years studied and excelled in ballet in Russia, a very difficult accomplishment for an American girl from Virginia. So she is primarily a dancer but very pretty and also an upcoming actress. Here she is Ruby, not really sure of how good she is. One day in the subway as she heads home she encounters this young man playing violin for cash. It is clear that he is very accomplished but also angry. To add to his woes he has been giving cash to a man who says he is a lawyer and can get him a visa, but the lawyer's card is fake and the $5000 is gone.The young man is Londoner Nicholas Galitzine as Johnnie. He comes around eventually and accepts Ruby's friendship, they perform together in a Strings and Dance competition. Somewhat predictable story with many cliché' characters and situations but overall we enjoyed it, a nicely entertaining movie.

What a gem of a film. I wasn't expecting much when I hit the 'Play' button, but as I kept watching, I was surprised at how good it turned out to be. It was predictable at times and yet I found myself still rooting for the main characters. Have you ever started watching a movie and during the opening credits, you start scrolling through your cell phone? That's what I did in the beginning. After hearing the music, I looked up, put my cell phone down and stared enjoying the scenery in the 1st few minutes. I was hooked after that. If you have seen a lot of dance movies (Step-up, Save the Last Dance, Stomp the Yard) I suggest you give this film a chance. It might surprise you, like it did me.

Thank goodness someone finally made a dance film that fits the bill as entertaining, artsy and family friendly. The two leads (Keenan Kampa and Nicholas Galitzine) are new comers to Hollywood but they do a wonderful job, have amazing chemistry and are certainly attractive to gaze at! I especially enjoyed all the twists and turns of the plot but the dance is what really shines in this film! There are numerous styles of dance from Hip Hop to Tango, Irish Dance and Ballet. It is rare that a movie can capture dance but the scenes are brilliantly edited and directed so that you feel emotionally connected. The original score is an integral part of this movie and it weaves it's way through the film in a seamless blend of classical and current music. The final dance scene will have you cheering and crying while you are on the edge of your seat! I was really surprised that even my husband flipped over this film. If you want to see a wonderful "feel good" movie that is appropriate for the entire family, you will be in for a treat with High Strung!