Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- sincere
- romantic
- uplifting
- teen movie night
- dance film marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the performances appealing and the characters more engaging than the predictable teen-romance formula, while faulting its clichés and limited treatment of interracial issues.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Sara rebuilds her identity and recommits to ballet after her mother's death and a disruptive move.
Sara, one of the few White students at her new school, falls in love with Derek in a predominantly Black neighborhood.
Sara's ballet training intersects with Derek's hip hop world, making dance central to their relationship and ambitions.
The plot follows Sara, Derek, Chenille, and their families through grief, school life, romance, and artistic aspiration.
Films like Save the Last Dance, and why
Honey
teen romance, dance performance, interracial relationship, and overcoming personal obstacles
Center Stage
coming-of-age romance, dance ambition, urban youth culture, and musical energy
West Side Story
teen romance, social barriers, dance-centered self-expression, and hopeful drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Thomas Carter
- Release Date
- 2001-01-12
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (1385)
Cast
- Julia Stiles
- Sean Patrick Thomas
- Kerry Washington
- Fredro Starr
- Terry Kinney
- Bianca Lawson
- Vince Green
- Garland Whitt
- Elisabeth Oas
- Artel Great
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, YouTube TV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Save the Last Dance about?
- A grieving ballet hopeful finds renewed purpose, friendship, and interracial love through an unexpected connection to hip hop dance culture.
- What is Save the Last Dance like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Save the Last Dance as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Save the Last Dance violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Save the Last Dance as mild.
- What did critics think of Save the Last Dance?
- Critics generally found the performances appealing and the characters more engaging than the predictable teen-romance formula, while faulting its clichés and limited treatment of interracial issues.
- Which films are like Save the Last Dance?
- Films with a similar feel include Honey, Center Stage, and West Side Story.
- How long is Save the Last Dance?
- Save the Last Dance runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch Save the Last Dance?
- In United States, Save the Last Dance streams on Hulu, YouTube TV.
