Save the Last Dance, 15 Years Later

15 years ago this week, Save the Last Dance hit theaters.

Sara (Julia Stiles) has just lost her mother in a car accident. Forced to live with her estranged father, Sara goes to a new school whose student population is very different from she is used to. Derek (Sean Patrick Thomas) has made some mistakes in his life, but with college and medical school on the horizon, his future appear to bright.

Sara’s dream is to attend Julliard and dance for a living. Derek lets off steam by dancing at the local nightclub. Will their relationship last or will their differences pull them apart?

Save the Last Dance premiered at what I think is a very interesting time in movie history. While many of the romantic comedies/dramas for the then teenage/early 20’s audience was light and funny, this film was different. With a bi-racial romance, a cast that is mostly made of mostly actors of color and a plot based on the truth of life in the inner city, the film stands out.

And the dancing scenes are pretty cool.

I still can’t believe it’s been fifteen years.

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