‘she dances’ film review: healing in motion
Unsure why this came out of me like a synopsis but c’est la vie.
If the goal is to make everyone cry, writer/director duo Steve Zahn and Rick Gomez are successful with this heartwarming comedy. She Dances is a modest film about Jason, a bachelor father, selling the beer company he co-founded with his best friend, played by Ethan Hawke. On the brink of a major business decision, Jason is caught off guard when his teenage daughter Claire (played by Audrey Zahn) begrudgingly asks him to accompany her on a road trip to her regional dance competition. Their relationship is clearly rocky and distant, but he reluctantly agrees to be her chaperone.
Tribeca Film Festival Premiere - Steven Zahn, Audrey Zahn
The trip kicks off with a surprise: Claire’s best friend and dance partner, Kat, is coming along. As they drive, the film uses the trip to explore generational differences. Kat, fully aware of the tension between father and daughter, helps smooth the silences and awkward conversations. He’s batting a thousand the whole ride, including the moment when they arrive at their original destination and he mistakenly loses their reservation, landing them in a rundown local motel.
What gives She Dances its emotional weight is the slow, sometimes clumsy effort to reconnect. Jason helps the girls during practice, tries to bond by sharing stories from his younger years in musical theatre, and supports them during a highly competitive performance. The girls are gaining momentum in the competition when Kat injures herself, forcing Claire to continue as a solo act. As the competition heats up, so does the need for long-overdue conversations and emotional breakthroughs. Gomez reveals Jason’s internal conflict through emotionally resonant moments that allude to the loss of his son, Claire’s brother, an unspoken grief that has fractured their family.
With the final act underway, Claire stands alone, confronting both the pressure of competition and the quiet grief that still hangs between her and her father. Growing tired of the superficialities, she shares a tender moment with her father that would bring anyone to tears, as she pleads with him to open up about their tremendous loss and begins the process of healing. What Jason and Claire’s instructor (played by Sonequa Green) do not realize is that Claire has reworked her final dance into something deeply personal and meaningful.
She Dances is minimalistic, and the cinematography does little to dazzle, but that feels intentional. Gomez delivers a subtle film that focuses entirely on character development. His position in the back seat while the girls drive is symbolic of how strained their relationship is. Dual scene shots highlight the differences and similarities between the two protagonists while they are apart. Similarly, lines in the backdrop appear when they are together in person, gradually disappearing as they grow closer.
Steven Zahn writes this as a tribute to his daughter Audrey, and you can tell by their dedication to their roles that it means a lot to them. Fans of Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, or Captain Fantastic will find plenty to love here. Do not expect surprises from Steve Zahn’s sweet film, but do expect a funny, lighthearted, and warm labor of love. We have seen father-daughter road trip films before, but this one feels sincere, even when the characters are plainly written or occasionally one-dimensional.
Tribeca Film Festival - Sonequa Martin-Green
Steven Zahn writes this as a tribute to his daughter Audrey, and you can tell by their dedication to their roles that it means a lot to them. Fans of Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, or Captain Fantastic will find plenty to love here. Do not expect surprises from Steve Zahn’s sweet film, but do expect a funny, lighthearted, and warm labor of love. We have seen father-daughter road trip films before, but this one feels sincere, even when the characters are plainly written or occasionally one-dimensional.
I screened She Dances at Tribeca Film Festival. She Dances does not currently have a release date, but make sure to add it to your Letterboxd or Rotten Tomatoes watchlist to stay updated on release dates.
NOVEMBER|ELEVENTH RATING
3.5 STARS.
