‘she dances’ film review: healing in motion

She Dances is a small, quiet film that sneaks up on you. Directed by Rick Gomez and co-written with Steve Zahn (who also stars), it follows Jason, a man about to sell the beer company he built with his best friend (played by Ethan Hawke). At the same time, his daughter Claire—played by Audrey Zahn—asks him to chaperone her on a road trip to a regional dance competition. Their relationship is strained. He says yes, but it’s clear from the start that neither of them really knows how to talk to the other.

There’s something unspoken sitting between them, and as they hit the road, it starts to push through in little ways. Claire brings her best friend along, which helps cut some of the tension but there are still long silences, awkward conversations, and a motel mishap that lands them somewhere run-down. It’s a fitting backdrop, honestly. Everything about their emotional connection feels slightly off, like they’re not quite synced up.

As the story unfolds, we learn more about why. Claire is suddenly dancing solo after her partner gets injured, and she’s visibly anxious about performing alone. Jason, meanwhile, is doing everything he can to avoid talking about his son—Claire’s brother—who has died. It’s obvious the grief has settled into both of them, but neither one has the words for it. So they fill the space with sarcasm and half-efforts.

By the time they arrive at the competition, the film has shifted from something light and slightly quirky to something heavier and more real. The beer company deal, the dance routine, the ghost of their loss—it’s all pushing in at once. And somewhere along the way, what started as just a trip becomes a chance to say the things they’ve both been carrying in silence for too long.

Visually, She Dances is simple and stripped down. The camera work doesn’t do much to stand out, but that seems like a deliberate choice from the director. It keeps the focus on the characters' development. Some of the dual-scene shots don’t always feel necessary but they do help reflect the mirrored experiences and emotional parallels between the two characters. In other instances lines are used to divide the characters, reflecting the separation between them when they’re together.

Though this film is a little predictable, it's also funny, lighthearted and warm. We’ve seen father-daughter road trip films before, but this one feels sincere, regardless of how plainly written the characters are.

She Dances is a soft, emotional story about a family trying to reconnect through pain, and about the people who show up when we’re at our most vulnerable. It’s about what happens when you finally talk about your feelings and how healing begins once someone is ready to listen. A heartfelt dedication from Steven Zahn to his daughter Audrey, the film is perfect for fans of Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, or Captain Fantastic. While the story stands on its own, it carries that same emotional depth and quirky tenderness that’s bound to melt your heart along the way. If you didn’t catch She Dances at the Tribeca Film Festival, keep an eye out for its release and make sure to add it to your Letterboxd watchlist.

Rating 3.5 Stars