Students go through four years at a NYC school for the performing arts. It gets off to a terrific start, as students audition for the various classes. These early scenes are well edited and full of energy, providing glimpses into the key elements of music, dance, and drama classes. Much of the middle of the film is devoted to exploring the backgrounds of the various students, and this is where it bogs down and feels too contrived and melodramatic. The music is good throughout, highlighted by "Out Here On My Own," "I Sing the Body Electric," and the title song. The students are played by mostly unknown actors, and ironically, for most of them this film was the height of their fame.
