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Movie Review: “High Strung” Hits A Bad Note

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When a hip hop violinist busking in the New York subway encounters a classical dancer on scholarship at the Manhattan Conservatory of the Arts, sparks fly. With the help of a hip hop dance crew they must find a common ground while preparing for a competition that could change their lives forever.

“High Strung” is an admirable attempt at trying to fuse classical music with modern and contemporary dance. While the music and dance numbers are eye-catching, and a treat for finger tappers everywhere, the storyline falls flat with no beat or rhythm of its own. Written by singer, actor, and producer Michael Damian and co-directed by his wife Janeen Damian, “High Strung” follows the relationship between Ruby, an aspiring Ballerina, and an A Typical violin playing bad boy named Johnnie, who after multiple dance numbers and random dance battles, are forced to team up in a dance competition. Does the story line sound familiar to you?

A half-naked guy sits on the edge of his bed in a NYC loft playing the Violin, deeply emotionally engaged in the music, his scruffy appearance contradicting his obvious talent. This is our first introduction to Johnnie, played by Nicholas Galitzine, who’s other musically themed features include John Williams’ “The Beat Beneath My Feet.” As Johnnie plays, the beat of the music transforms into a dirtier hip hop beat that drowns out his classical tones. Cleverly, director Michael Damian uses this as a way not only to introduce the various music styles that will feature prominently throughout, but as a transition to introducing the dance troop SwitchStep, that live below. Rather predictably, a dance number breaks out and we are introduced to the crew members, who to be fair, are rather pushed to the background with no backstory whatsoever.

An overwhelmed Ruby (Keenan Kampae), stares out of a NYC cab window. In awe of the city’s sounds and smells, they pull up outside the Manhattan Conservatory of the Arts for her first day. She says farewell to her mother and nervously enters the building. As she wanders down the hallways, lost and out of her depth, we meet Madame Markova (Maia Mogenstern), head of the Conservatory. Unfortunately, Madame Markova is stereotypically depicted as the strict, mean authority figure we have seen so many times before. Do they all have to be so wooden? Although Madame does not feature for very long, it’s an early sign for what’s to come.

Johnnie stands in his ripped jeans and leather jacket busking in a NYC Subway, lost in his music and oblivious to the people around him. A passer-by tries to compliment him on his playing only for the moody, broody Johnnie to snap back “it’s not for you.” As he continues to play, we are treated to our second dance interlude. Out of pure luck, fate or maybe just some creative writing, Ruby passes by on the subway. Ruby hears Johnnie playing and catches a fleeting glance as she speeds by, leaving the dance number behind her. I wish I could do the same!

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Ruby continues to adjust to life at the Conservatory, she moves in with her new housemate Jazzy (Sonoya Mizuno), immediately bonding over their hatred for Madame Markov. To celebrate, Jazzy takes ruby out on the town where as you guessed another dance number breaks out. We can already see that Jazzy and Ruby are different people, Jazzy’s carefree attitude and slutiness being starkly contrasted by Ruby’s butter-wouldn’t-melt innocence. The next day classes resume and the slightly worse for wear Ruby and Jazzy arrive for class. Here we are introduced to Mr Kramrovsky (Paul Freeman), another stereotypical classical dance teacher who walks with a limp and cane after the Nazis broke his hips. I told you the Clichés were coming! Despite the Cliché, Paul Freeman puts in a good performance despite what little screen time he was given. In the next class, Contemporary, is where we are finally introduced to Jane Seymour, who plays Oksana and who is another sterotypical dance teacher. Screaming at Ruby to perform better, she singles out Ruby as the weakest of the group. Unfortunately, like Paul Freeman, Jane Seymour barely features in the film, restricted to brief appearances, much akin to a pop-up cameo. Interestingly, this is the second appearance Jayne Semour has made in a Michael Damian feature, the first being 2014’s “Love by Design.”

Johnnie, still wearing his distinctive scowl, reluctantly meets the dance crew below where he starts to soften them. Again, the dance crew do not bring much to the story apart from their brilliant dancing choreographed by Dave Scott, who also did choreography for “Battle of the Year” and “Step Up 2: The Streets.” Again, we find Johnnie busking in the subway, Ruby bumps into him and their eyes meet. Cue the romantic music as the clichés pile up higher. Not to pass up this moment, a group of youths disembark the subway and square up to some construction workers as another EXTREMELY random dance battle ensures. As the tool box turns into a sound system, yes, you read that correctly, a scuffle brakes out and Johnnie’s Violin is stolen. As Ruby consoles him we find out Johnnie is an illegal immigrant, a British National who for reasons we never really find out, doesn’t want to go back home.

Coincidentally, Ruby discovers the Conservatory loans out instruments and that a big String and Dance competition is coming up (how lucky!) so Ruby attempts to give the even moodier Johnnie a loaner violin only to be met by his scowl. After a tedious discussion where Ruby tries to get through to Johnnie, “money over art” is the focal point of Johnnie’s argument. However, the audience doesn’t really feel that characters have enough understanding of their own opinions. After trying to convince Johnnie to enter the competition, with the winner getting a full Scholarship and student visa, Ruby leaves dejected. As Johnnie tries to compose, he realizes he has made a mistake, that he has feelings for Ruby and the competition is his only hope. Numerous dance numbers and musical interludes later, Johnnie and Ruby agree to perform together with the help of the SwitchStep. Michael Damian tries to add an element of suspense by delaying Johnnie as he is arrested/released only to just make it before the performance begins. Like all the other dance or musical numbers, the quality is second to none, with Keenan Kampa dancing beautifully throughout. It’s just a shame that her range of expressions is not as varied as her dance steps. (Spoiler Alert!!!)

As you can imagine, there are victorious, major surprises!!! Cue celebrations and slo-mo shots as the tears flow, the big check is presented, and the crowd goes wild. As a dance movie, the choreography and composing is a hidden gem wrapped up in a storyline full of romantic clichés and stereotypical characters. It’s a shame that Jane Seymour and Paul Freeman did not feature more prominently as they could have been a helpful hand to the younger more inexperienced cast. With that being said, although “High Strung” hits a bum note, in terms of storytelling, the music and dance will leave you ready to dust off those dancing shoes.

In theaters April 8th

 
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