‘she dances’ film review: healing in motion
She Dances is a dramedy directed by Rick Gomez and written and produced by Steven Zahn and Gomez. It follows Jason (Zahn), who, along with his business partner and best friend (Ethan Hawke), is preparing to sell their beer company, which is named after their sons. At the same time, Jason’s daughter Claire (Audrey Zahn), a young dancer, is getting ready for a competition and needs a chaperone. Jason, who lives separately from Claire and her mother (Rosemarie DeWitt), reluctantly agrees to join her on the road trip to the event.
Early in the film, it becomes clear through small interactions and comments from friends that Jason is carrying the weight of a loss he doesn’t talk about. As the trip begins, and Claire’s best friend and dance partner joins them, the car becomes a tight space for awkward parenting moments. Jason teaches Claire how to change a flat tire, tries to bond, and ends up embarrassing her more than once. These scenes highlight both the generational gap and the emotional distance between them.
One scene stands out where a booking mishap leaves them sleeping in a run-down motel instead of the main hotel with the other dancers. It’s a physical reminder of how far apart they really are. Still, through each misstep, Jason’s effort is clear, even if he’s unsure how to get it right.
By the time we reach the second act, Claire’s friend starts to bridge the emotional gap between her and her father. The mood shifts, and so does the story. The real issue begins to rise to the surface: this is a family still grieving. Jason tells lighthearted stories from his past in musical theater, and Claire, now dancing solo after her partner’s injury, is struggling with imposter syndrome. Underneath it all is the silence around the death of Jason’s son and Claire’s brother—something Jason has avoided from the beginning.
Tribeca Film Festival 2025 Premiere of She Dances, in New York City. Footage provided by Getty Images, shared for media use.
As the trip goes on, life’s daily stresses, the weight of the business deal, and unresolved grief all come to a head. The connection between father and daughter starts to take shape, but Claire is looking for more than polite conversation. She needs honesty. She needs the truth. Only by acknowledging their shared loss can either of them start to heal.
There’s a moment between Claire and her best friend that really hits, showing how vital strong friendships are when you're grieving. And later, we see that both Claire and Jason are surrounded by people who care, even when they struggle to show up for each other. The final act of the film is a quiet but meaningful release. Claire comes to understand that the competition was never the most important part of this journey. What matters is the emotional breakthrough between them. That shift, while small, is everything.
Visually, She Dances is simple and stripped down. The camera work doesn’t do much to stand out, but that choice seems deliberate. It keeps the focus on the characters and their growth. Some of the dual-scene shots don’t always feel necessary, though 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.
We’ve seen father-daughter road trip films before, but this one feels sincere. 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 silence finally breaks, 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
[Sonequa Martin-Green discusses her passion for films like She Dances, where she plays Claire’s infectiously optimistic dance teacher. Footage from Getty Images, for media use. Tribeca Film Festival 2025.]
