![]() Although the characters in “Stomp the Yard” seem to represent the entire socio-economic spectrum, they are all cast from the same mold. More troublesome than the film’s racial homogeneity, though, is its kitschy representation of African-American culture. The world of Southern stepping fraternities is apparently one of fierce rivalry, undying brotherhood and ludicrous self-importance - and one in which the only white people (or really, the only non-black people) are stuffy restaurant patrons. “Stomp the Yard” is filled with equally formulaic characters - from the quirky roommate to the demanding team leader who comes around in the end - and there are also poorly veiled similarities to other movies of its genre, perhaps most notably the iconic “Bring It On.” The trajectory of the movie’s plot is predictable enough, complete with a requisite love story and moralizing tale of a loner who learns to love the team. Both fraternities have nationally recognized stepping teams, and it just so happens that DJ has the talent and fresh style they need to bring home the gold. But his efforts to succeed in the classroom and to woo the beautiful April (Meagan Good) are both sidelined when the two top fraternities begin vying for his attention. Although at first reluctant to swap his doo-rag for a graduation cap, DJ soon begins earnestly working to start anew and make amends for his past mistakes. The movie’s main character, DJ (choreographer Columbus Short), is a young man fresh out of jail (wrongfully imprisoned, I might add) who moves from his native Los Angeles to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend Truth University. But what could have (and probably should have) been a mindlessly enjoyable two-hour dance-off too frequently devolves into unnecessary and distracting drama. And to be fair, the movie’s soundtrack is shamelessly fun and White’s pulsating camera work during the dance scenes (almost reminiscent of stop-motion animation) is compelling. White, a veteran music video director, could have succeeded if he had stuck to what he knows best - music and shooting complicated dance choreography. If film direction is a dance, then Sylvain White, director of the new stepping movie “Stomp the Yard,” has two left feet.
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