She Dances (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

2025 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW! 

When Jason (Steve Zahn) is asked to accompany his daughter Claire (Audrey Zahn) to her final dance competition, he sees it as an opportunity to rekindle their relationship. She Dances is an emotional journey into the lives of Jason, Claire, and their respective support systems as they try to make the best of a less-than-ideal situation. 

You never really know what to expect when you sit down for a screening at a film festival. Will you be blown away by the brilliance of what exists in front of you, or will you walk away feeling disappointed? When I walked into the AMC 19th for this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, I knew I would see a brilliantly acted film. I knew nothing else–but this I felt was a guarantee. Starting with this point, I couldn’t have been more right. She Dances is seemingly an opportunity for each and every actor to showcase their best abilities. Each of the Zahns, Ethan Hawke (Brian), Sonequa Martin-Green (Jamie), Mackenzie Ziegler (Kat), and everyone else brings their A-game and presents the world with a series of impeccable performances that are both grounded and beautifully whimsical. It seems apparent that Writer-Director Rick Gomez and Co-Writer S. Zahn developed a script that spoke to everyone involved and allowed them to create intense, but wildly accessible characters that transcend the film’s narrative and the real world. Something about each and every actor’s performance felt almost tangible, and each character possessed something that resonated with me from start to finish. 

Narratively, She Dances is one of the strongest films I’ve seen in years. S. Zahn and Gomez refuse to follow the standard structure of the dramedy. The film continues on a linear path, without there ever being an unnecessary heartbreak in the middle. There’s no inevitable hill that the film’s protagonists have to traverse, but rather an emotional weight festering within each of them throughout. She Dances progresses at the perfect rate, without any extraneous details to waste our time or trip us up. This film is an example of every word, every action mattering–and I was glued to the screen for the film’s entire hour-and-thirty-three minute runtime. 

The narrative, the emotion, the characters: perfect. The cinematography: equally brilliant. Gomez and Director of Photography David Morrison often utilize a split screen to depict both the similarities and differences between Jason and Claire, an apt way to present both simultaneously. Like the overall film, these scenes are perfectly structured, developing effective and necessary parallels between the two characters. These moments see a blend of brilliant cinematography, editing, sound design, and more–often creating immersive experiences so paramount to She Dances as a whole. 

While these instances are wholly amazing, I think it’s absolutely necessary to express my admiration for the sound design. She Dances utilizes everyday sounds to develop characters and create connections between them and their audience. The simplicity in the sound design resonates with viewers, and as we are invited into the lives of both Claire and Jason, we are able to form an intimate and unwavering bond with them. 

For the first time ever, I’m prepared to award a film a perfect score. Is the film literally perfect? No, as there were a handful of moments where I would have preferred a different transition, where I was hoping for a singular word to be altered in the dialogue between Jason and Claire. However, She Dances is a film that manages to choke me emotionally not just during my viewing, but for days after. I’m excited at the idea of watching the film again someday, of the opportunity to share this film with the rest of the world. With the profound effect that She Dances had (and continues to have) on me, I can’t justify giving the film anything less than a perfect score. If you watch this film and you aren’t floored by the performance, enamored by the technical proficiency, and so greatly moved by the emotional brilliance, I truly feel bad for you. She Dances is the best film of the year, a tour de force by everyone involved, and it’s emerged as one of my favorite films of all time. 

Directed by Rick Gomez. 

Written by Rick Gomez & Steve Zahn. 

Starring Steve Zahn, Audrey Zahn, Sonequa Martin-Green, Mackenzie Ziegler, Ethan Hawke, etc. 

10/10 = DROP EVERYTHING AND WATCH IT NOW