Dance Academy: The Comeback

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Movie Info

Former ballet student, Tara Webster, was destined to become one of the top dancers of her generation before a devastating injury crippled her career. Over the last eighteen months she has tried to embrace life as a university student but cannot get over her dream of dancing professionally. In her quest to defy the odds in a near impossible comeback, Tara leaves her life and love behind in Sydney and travels to New York. But as the rejections pile up, and Tara tears herself apart trying to fit the unrelenting ballet mould, she must learn to find, and trust, her own voice before she loses everything that truly matters in the pursuit of a dream.

Rating:

NR
Genre:

Drama
Directed By:

Jeffrey Walker
In Theaters:

Mar 2, 2018 limited
On Disc/Streaming:

Mar 2, 2018
Runtime:

90 minutes
Studio:

Cinedigm

Cast

Xenia Goodwin
as Tara Webster

Alicia Banit
as Kat Karamakov

Dena Kaplan
as Abigail Armstrong

Jordan Rodrigues
as Christian Reed

Keiynan Lonsdale
as Ollie Lloyd

Thomas Lacey
as Ben Tickle

Miranda Otto
as Madeline Moncur

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Critic Reviews for Dance Academy: The Comeback

All Critics (15) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (15)

Strauss is a writer of real flair. A former teen dancer, she knows the milieu like the back of her hand and is not ashamed to take delight in an all-Aussie phrase like "pity pash".

Apr 12, 2017 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Jake Wilson
The Age (Australia)
Top Critic
The dialogue isn't exactly sparkling. It's matter-of-fact at best, cliched at worst, but Tara and friends are easy to like. The ballet movie tradition is well served.

Apr 12, 2017 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic
Subversive entertainment it ain't. But nor is this well-paced yarn - with pleasing albeit narrowly scoped performances from a perky cast - bereft of pleasantries and surprises.

Apr 5, 2017 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Luke Buckmaster
Guardian
Top Critic
Xenia Goodwin projects an ethereal quality when she dances -- and even in other scenes -- so I was drawn to her character. I also love the sensitive way romance is integrated into this endearing dance film.

Mar 13, 2018 | Full Review…

Betty Jo Tucker
ReelTalk Movie Reviews
Captivating, graceful story of young dancers on the verge.

Mar 13, 2018 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Renee Schonfeld
Common Sense Media
There's a realness to these characters and their journey that makes this worth a look.

May 31, 2017 | Rating: B | Full Review…

Matthew Toomey
ABC Radio Brisbane
I liked the Emma Stone-Ryan Gosling song and dance romance-drama, but for me Dance Academy feels more real. It has something about it that is more dramatic, more emotional, more complex.

Apr 14, 2017 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Stephen Romei
The Australian
What it lacks in surprises, it makes up for in poise, a standard coat of glossy-imaged polish, and an affable teen melodrama air.

Apr 10, 2017 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Sarah Ward
ArtsHub
Fans of the show will feel dutifully well-served. Those coming to the film cold might feel a little iced out.

Apr 7, 2017 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review…

Jim Schembri
3AW
While maintaining the heart that helped make it a small-screen hit, Dance Academy looks every bit the sumptuous big-screen drama.

Apr 6, 2017 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Simon Foster
Screen-Space
If you want to be a snob about dance-based drama for teens, that's your choice, but you're about to miss out on something pretty great.

Apr 6, 2017 | Full Review…

Alexandra Neill
Junkee
The old-fashion story path navigated here (much of which takes place in the US) is a lot more downbeat and realistic about the plight of young performers than many viewers will expect. The movie as a whole is all the better for it.

Apr 5, 2017 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)

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Audience Reviews for Dance Academy: The Comeback

Apr 06, 2017

As a big screen transition for an award winning Australian Kids/TV Show, 'Dance Academy' doesn't disappoint. While the TV show was about teenagers willing to prove their worth to the world as dances in a prestigious 'National Academy of Dance', this film examines the underlining themes of whether or not the dreams of our youth are really relevant when we're older. For the series protagonist Tara Webster (Xenia Goodwin) it's about trying to regain a passion that's truly defined her well after having a terrible accident, as well as valuing friendships that come into play with her undying passion. While this film might fall for the usual tropes associated with chasing after one's dreams, I don't think it could have worked well without the exceptional cast who've played these characters throughout the TV series successful 3 season run, seeing them as young adults in these roles was both endearing and refreshing like reuniting with old school friends. The film primarily ditches the soapy tone of the TV series in favour of a more bigger scale drama in both the cinematography and the locations as much of the film's action takes place in America. The direction is as fine as ever from Jeffery Walker who contributed to the TV series. While the dance choreography is as fine as ever, if there's a montage sequence that doesn't involve dance it pads the moment out a little too long. Overall, it's a very worthy continuation of the TV Series, endearing as it's entertaining, and bound to put a smile on one's face by the very end.

Luke E Super Reviewer