To The Beat! Review is a 2018 family film about a group of competing young girls who try to win a chance to dance with their singing idol.
The family film market has long been pushed to the peripheral, major studios thinking that animation is just about the only thing that qualifies. That leaves it to independent filmmakers to take up the helm, digital shelves crowded with live action dramas and comedies that try to fill in the void. Now count Jillian Clare‘s latest To The Beat! among them, an early teen fantasy that certainly plays into its audience and while it might not have any greater depth than your average teen pop song, at least strives to keep it accessible and entertaining for its young target demographic.
Fourteen-year-old twins Mia (Brisa Lalich) and Mackie (Laura Krystine) are typical teens, caught up in the usual distractions of life in middle school. As summer vacation starts, the girls, who have spent their lives devoted to dancing – Mia is into tap and Mackie’s drawn to jazz – get exciting news; teen pop idol Chris Trousdale (playing himself) has announced a competition to find five dancers to be his backup in an upcoming music video. This creates a bit of a rift though as each girl builds their own teams and styles as they practice at the studio, which allows neighbor Avery (Jayden Bartels), an obnoxious, self-centered, and self-proclaimed best dancer to swoop in and take advantage. Can the twins get their big chance?
Music and dancing have long been a staple in movies, especially those aiming at younger audiences and To The Beat! doesn’t stray far from the formula the already limited genre clings to. With a cast almost entirely comprised of girls and women, this is packed to the rafters with all kinds of girl power with a very safe story for any parent considering such for their children. Themes of friendship and commitment and teamwork top a short list of others as the girls put together their routines and hope to get picked, calling in more friends to boost their social media presence and a shot at fame.
While the plot is pretty easy to follow, Clare does best in keeping it approachable and identifiable. Characters are broadly drawn and delivered, conflicts and hurdles plain to see. Youngsters watching will have plenty to think about while the message falls right into place, even if, oddly, not everyone in the film seems to get it. That said, it doesn’t really challenge anyone either, the most emotional thread being the twins’ relationship with their college-aged sister Mandy (Veronica St. Clair), who, after the loss of their father, has taken to helping their mother (Marie Wilson) as she searches for her own destiny. This is a minor subplot though.
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Lalich and Krystine are well cast, lively and honest, giving the story most of its heart while Bartels plays Avery as simply nasty, almost to a degree. It’s a wonder the girl has anyone who will spend a single minute with her, she a character so vile there is no hope for growth. Not everything clicks either, with several moments that feel very loosely played out, even for young teen audiences. Still, this is hardly meant to be authentic, a fairy tale for kids that will, for those interested in such, probably keep them tuned in, though the generic pop song the girl’s dance to seems stuck on a continuous loop. A few recognizable celebrities show up, such as Devon Werkheiser, Alyson Stoner, and Dexter Darden, and overall, the whole thing is on par with your basic prime time TV Disney Channel drama. To The Beat! does what it intends, being a safe family movie that will most likely get some of its audience up on their feet.