Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- energetic
- upbeat
- romantic
- dance movie night
- 1980s nostalgia night
What critics said
Critics broadly admired the dancers' grace, power, and chemistry while finding the screenplay stiff, awkward, and underdeveloped.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The plot centers on breakdancers Ozone and Turbo, rap music, street crowds, and dance battles during the genre's early mainstream period.
Kelly joins Ozone and Turbo to transform their dancing into a sensation among street audiences.
The film repeatedly interrupts its simple story with choreographed dance sequences emphasizing the grace and power of the performers.
The production places breakdance and rap within a broadly accessible MGM and Cannon-backed musical drama.
Films like Breakin', and why
Beat Street
dance-centered coming-of-age energy, street performance, and upbeat musical spectacle
Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo
1980s youth dance culture, competitive performance, and exuberant soundtrack-driven storytelling
Footloose
dance competition, romance, and accessible feel-good musical drama
Stomp the Yard
street dance culture, youthful ambition, and performance-based ensemble chemistry
Movie Details
- Director
- Joel Silberg
- Release Date
- 1984-05-04
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (181)
Cast
- Lucinda Dickey
- Adolfo Quinones
- Michael Chambers
- Ben Lokey
- Christopher McDonald
- Phineas Newborn III
- Ice-T
- Bruno Falcon
- Popin' Pete
- Ana Sánchez
Common questions
- What is Breakin' about?
- A struggling jazz dancer finds creative partnership and public acclaim alongside two charismatic breakdancers in an exuberant snapshot of early hip-hop culture.
- What is Breakin' like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Breakin' as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Breakin' violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Breakin' as mild.
- What did critics think of Breakin'?
- Critics broadly admired the dancers' grace, power, and chemistry while finding the screenplay stiff, awkward, and underdeveloped.
- Which films are like Breakin'?
- Films with a similar feel include Beat Street, Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo, Footloose, and Stomp the Yard.
- How long is Breakin'?
- Breakin' runs 90 minutes.
