Save the Last Dance

"Fame" (or "Flashdance" or "Saturday Night Fever") meets "Romeo and Juliet" (or "West Side Story" or any trashy talk show) in this clearly not-so-original but solid teen drama. White, middle-class Sara (Stiles) adjusts to life and rediscovers her passion for dance in an all-black, inner-city Chicago high school when she must give up her dreams of attending Juilliard and move in with her down-on-his-luck father (Kinney) on the South Side. There, she befriends Chenille (Washington), who helps her get hip, and falls for her smart, ambitious brother Derek (Thomas), who helps her learn hip-hop. Stiles and Thomas turn in good performances despite somewhat stereotypical cast of characters.