THE STORY – A father and daughter struggle through their disconnection as they travel to her last dance competition. They attempt to repair their relationship and reconcile a shared tragedy while she dances through the glittered fever dream that is the “Miss Kentucky, Southern All-State Dance Jam Nationals.
THE CAST – Steve Zahn, Audrey Zahn, Ethan Hawke, Rosemarie DeWitt, Sonequa Martin-Green, Wynn Everett, Mackenzie Ziegler & Sonny Valicenti
THE TEAM – Rick Gomez (Director/Writer) & Steve Zahn (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 93 Minutes
We’ve all seen stories about fathers trying to reconnect with their teenage daughters for whatever reason, but how often do we see these characters portrayed by real-life fathers and daughters? In Director Rick Gomez’s “She Dances,” a recent Tribeca premiere, we get just that. In this case, recognizable actor and Emmy nominee Steve Zahn (who co-wrote the film with Gomez) is acting alongside his daughter, Audrey, making her film acting debut. It’s a revelatory performance, making her opening title credit of “introducing Audrey Zahn” even more impactful. Despite her father’s memorable screen roles over the years, it’s difficult to call Audrey a stereotypical nepo baby, especially as, with this role, she has already cemented herself as a star on the rise. And, while we’ve seen these types of stories before, the personal nature of it and the committed performances from the Zahns (especially Audrey) make it a worthwhile watch.
When we first meet Claire (Audrey Zahn), she’s in a dance class alongside her best friend, Kat (Mackenzie Ziegler), and we learn they’re both preparing for an upcoming dance competition. It’s the last one before high school graduation, so it’s a big deal. Meanwhile, Jason (Steve Zahn) is celebrating the potential to sell his business with his longtime best friend and business partner, Brian (Ethan Hawke). Claire lives with her mom (Rosemarie DeWitt), and it’s unclear why she’s so unwilling to have him chaperone her and Kat on the dance competition trip, even when they have no other options. Claire and her father are so disconnected that she calls him by his first name. Of course, mishaps ensue once Jason is paired with his daughter and her best friend, such as when he has to book a room at a run-down hotel due to messing up the dates and when he continually gets lost as to where the competition is held. Also sprinkled throughout are mentions of someone named Jack who has died – a mystery that is (mostly) cleared up in the film.
While Steve Zahn spends much of the film looking awkward and out of his element, he shines in the more intimate moments, especially when his daughter is his principal scene partner. It’s hard not to be won over by his love for his daughter and her skills, and you also feel for him when a sad event from the recent past is brought to light. But it’s his daughter Audrey who’s the real draw here – not just because of her incredible talent as a dancer. It’s an unbelievable, fully realized film acting debut, especially since she’s essentially a co-lead. She easily maneuvers between the sometimes witty (and funny) Gen-Z-esque dialogue and the more dramatic moments. It’ll be interesting to see where her career goes from here, especially if she decides not to act again with her father. Sonequa Martin-Green charms as Claire’s dance instructor, who has known the teenager for most of her life. She’s mostly there for support, but she has such a warm, encouraging presence that you almost wish she could be your cheerleader. Hawke’s screentime is fairly limited, but he makes solid use of it with his infectious energy and, later, an internal sadness that may catch you off-guard.
Of course, “She Dances” has the typical teenage daughter-father relationship tropes, such as him embarrassing her, even when he thinks he’s helping. Some of Jason’s actions are predictable, as are the story beats, except for one heartbreaking scene at the film’s climax that this reviewer did not see coming. It’s accompanied by some stellar cinematography, impressive dancing from Audrey Zahn, and pitch-perfect reaction shots from her father and Martin-Green. However, despite the mystery of Jack, which is all but explained in an emotional, well-acted two-hander between the Zahns, we never quite know why Claire and her father have become so distant. Is it something to do with Jack? And yet, despite this ambiguity, it’s hard not to feel reasonably satisfied at the film’s conclusion once the two central characters have seemingly resolved their differences.
For an indie film, David Morrison’s cinematography is surprisingly innovative, including two excellent uses of split-screen that bookend each other in an emotionally impactful manner. Also, a couple of mini-montage scenes help ensure a steady pacing, making the 93 minutes fly by. However, despite its brief length, a side story involving a fellow competitor seems unnecessary and detracts from the central father-daughter relationship.
This is a personal film for the Zahns, and it’s evident that the opening footage of a little girl dancing alongside her father is real. Audrey is an accomplished dancer, with bit parts as a “Dancer” in films like “Wildcat.” We also see numerous dance trophies in Claire’s bedroom, which may indeed be the actress’s own. Gomez and Zahn’s script is often clever and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, even when it reaches cliche territory, such as presenting dance moms who flirt with Jason and, later, Brian. It’s also refreshing to see teenage girls talk and behave like, well, teenage girls, like when they tease Jason about his secret musical theatre background. Regardless of its predictable nature, “She Dances” is easy to like, thanks to its performances, impressive camera work, and smart script.
