Too much of everything

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

The actors are good at the premise they're given - I really want to see more from the leading lady, she has nuance. Like bring it on 2 this is cringy, but unlike bring it on 2, it doesn't seem to make fun of the stereotypes, the stereotypes are just ...there. I was entertained for the most part, - and I give it 2 extra stars for the pure skill of the dancers - but if you have another movie you can watch - do it. This movie just isn't that good, some of the things in it range from an attempt of lol, to a catastrophic "they left that in there on purpose??".

The story was painfully fraught with cliche, and most of the acting was wooden and contrived particularly through the first half of the movie.It did bring it home for a feel good, if predictable, ending. I'm not sure I agree that the second half was "good," as other reviewers have suggested, but I wouldn't argue with it being "better" than the first half.

I thought the movie had its highs and lows. Each character played a modern archetype, and wasn't really well rounded. It also espoused beliefs that I do not share. The issue with cultural appropriation isn't that "races can't own things," the issue is the social ramifications of the perpetual white-washing of other cultures to make it more palatable to an American audience (i.e. James Brown). It has a low-budget Bring It On vibe. I think a lot of reviewers felt as though it was racist because the movie was like a mirror--a cheap mirror, but still, a mirror.

The movie Step Sisters on Netflix is a masterpiece of terrible cinema.The film tells the story of a black girl teaching a white sorority how to dance like black girls. It manages to mash together every bad trope from the 'Dance competition' movies from the early 2000's(think Bring It On) with cringingly terrible acting, a ridiculous plot, excellent dancing, and unintentionally hilarious quotability("YOU NEED TO MAKE THEIR ASS HAIR STAND UP!!!").This is all served alongside a large helping of performative 'wokeness', uncomfortable, non-funny racial humor and unfocused social justice 'lessons'. ( For instance, a large part of the plot is about the impact of cultural appropriation of black traditions by white people, but then also features a dance number with a bunch of black women dressed as generic Asian women in silk robes and fans without blinking an eye.)Please note I am making no comment on actual cultural appropriation, race, or social justice. The movie tries to make these issues a major plot point, and fails spectacularly. The only major lesson the movie ends up conveying is "Race, culture, and upbringing are unimportant as long as you are rich and pretty'I HIGHLY recommend it, if only as a unintended parody of the current 'everything is offensive to the point where we cant tell what is actually offensive" climate, but also as a gem of cinematic garbage that at times approaches The Room in terms of terribleness and watchability