Growing up a white boy from the suburbs I have to admit that when the craze of breakdancing broke into the mainstream in the mid-80s I was quite intrigued. While I was content to spend a summer afternoon riding around without using hands on my bike and trying to look cool there were others actually being cool by showing off their urban dancing skills on (usually) a tiny square of cardboard. Of course you know the trend would make its way to the movies and while the Cannon produced Breakin' films went more for silliness and the Lorenzo Lamas starring Body Rock just didn't know what the Hell it was trying to do Beat Street is a completely earnest effort that focuses on characters who have big dreams of escaping the projects either through their dancing, graffiti skills or DJ'ing. This is definitely the most serious of them all and things do get a little too heavy-handed in the final third because of that but it doesn't mean there isn't a lot of opportunity to showcase a whole lot of musical numbers and various dance sequences - including a memorable moment where two breakin' crews face off at a local club.

Opening to the strains of Kool Moe Dee's title track, Beat Street introduces us to the poorer area of New York City where people are struggling to get by. Amongst this we meet a group of friends who are looking to rise above their situation and make something of themselves. There's aspiring DJ Kenny (Guy Davis) and his b-boy younger brother Lee (Robert Taylor), graffiti artist Ramon (Jon Chardiet) and the always scheming Chollie (Leon W. Grant) who wants to break into the world of music management through representing Kenny. When they're not dealing with the stresses of regular life they're busy hustling, throwing some kick-ass parties in an abandoned building, and using subway cars as the canvas for Ramon's latest masterpiece. Along the way to a finish that piles on the drama and starts to drag with a totally overlong final sequence, Kenny gets a love interest in the form of well-off choreographer Tracy (Rae Dawn Chong) and there's a so-so subplot about Ramon's work being defaced by the mysterious "Spit". Of course, by the end things have changed (for the better and the worse) as Beat Street tries to be an uplifting celebration of determination.

Co-produced by legendary calypso singer Harry Belafonte (of "Banana Boat Song" and "Jump in the Line" fame) what makes Beat Street work is its decent performances from the mostly unknown cast. With the exception of Chong (daughter of Tommy of stoner comedy duo Cheech & Chong) a lot of the actors were making their movie debuts and they all handle the material competently. Davis, Chardiet and Grant all play well off each other with Davis likeable and getting the most screen time while Grant's motormouth character gets a few chuckles. It's too bad none of them would really go on to much else - though Grant would also appear in 1986's cheesy musical/comedy Playing for Keeps that is notable for being the only directing effort of Miramax founders Bob and Harvey Weinstein.

Sometimes when my cohort Josh and I get to talking about the 80s and the various fads it's inevitable that breakdancing flicks come up. It's about this time he tries to convince me the recent Step Up movies will be this generation's version of them, which I usually scoff at. Sure, they have elaborate dance scenes with an underdog plot wrapped around it but it just doesn't feel as fresh and exciting as it did when Breakin' hit the scene. How could you not instantly be drawn in by Turbo's creative use of a common broom? You just can't. This is why Beat Street is watchable because it has its heart in the right place and has enough catchy musical performances (my favourite being the Christmas themed one by The Treacherous Three) to be entertaining. (Chris Hartley, 3/12/14)

Directed By: Stan Lathan.
Written By: Andy Davis, David Gilbert, Paul Golding.

Starring: Rae Dawn Chong, Guy Davis, Jon Chardiet, Leon W. Grant.