Every Little Step (2009)

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

A Chorus Line and I came of age right around the same time, so it has not only an aesthetic appeal for me but a nostalgic one as well. I've seen several live versions and of course the movie, which could never measure up to any live performance just because of the nature of the subject, but made the show accessible to those who couldn't see it live. I did not know what to expect upon viewing Every Little Step, but how could I be disappointed given the subject matter and its irresistible music? Reviewers here have criticized a variety of omissions in the film, charging that it is inaccurate and/or incomplete. However, I see Every Little Step as more of a multi-media magazine piece than a documentary. How amazing to listen to the interviews with the dancers back in 1974 which provided the inspiration for the musical! I thoroughly enjoyed the blending of footage of original auditions and performances in the 70s with the current audition process for the 2006 revival. Though I was disappointed not to see auditions for Morales and wondered why some of the stories were not completed, I did learn some things in retrospect that I had never known back then (eg, the Kelly Bishop I always enjoyed in Dirty Dancing is the Sheila I have been listening to all these years on the Broadway cast album). The film successfully engaged me emotionally and made me realize that it is A Chorus Line which inspired my interest in American Idol throughout these years and why that show continues to be a separate entity from these other wannabe reality shows. ELS also sent me right to the internet to dig up more Chorus Line history and cast info and You Tube performances to keep me involved and singing all afternoon, even after finishing the extra features on the DVD (there are plenty). What a lovely way to spend an afternoon.I didn't set out to be a critical viewer of this film, only to find out more about this timeless piece, and I enjoyed every little step of it.

I watched this on DVD last night and it brought tears to my eyes, several times. This is the best film I have seen all year."A Chorus Line" and I became acquainted in the winter of 1980, on Broadway, during my first trip to Manhattan, a business trip. A bunch of us would get half-price tickets at the TKTS booth in Times Square. Being a country boy from the Cajun country of Louisiana I didn't quite know what to make of the show, especially when the "Dance 10, Looks 3", often called the "T&A" song, was performed. But the show stuck with me. I can't tell you how many times I have listened to the cast soundtrack on CD. "At the Ballet" is my favorite song of all time, I still can't listen to it without getting goosebumps.So in 2005, 30 years after it opened its historic run, a brand new revival of "A Chorus Line" was planned, and this film, "Every Little Step", is about that revival.It is a gripping, mostly documentary film. It mixes in ample clips of the original show. Over 3000 dancers began the audition process. Several members of the original production are featured. One young man's acting was so good during his audition that the show's director was in tears at the end of this performance, as was I. It is the ultimate "reality show." In the end a Broadway production like "A Chorus Line" is just a show. It is just entertainment. But to those individuals who make up the cast, it is their lives. This film lets us see closely into a part of their lives and it is fascinating.Now, I need to buy my own copy of the DVD.

I have to admit, I'm a sucker for these types of documentaries. It weaves the story of how "A Chorus Line" was created (back in the mid-1970's) with the audition process for the 2006 Broadway revival. When I first saw the musical, a long time ago, I was young and didn't realize that the stories of each character were based on the real life stories of dancers. This film focuses on those stories, and how the current (2006) auditionees (is that a word?) are able (or not able) to convey those characters. In all honesty, I would have liked to hear more about the personal lives of the current auditionees. However, you do get some feeling about their backgrounds and their ambitions, and it's always awesome to see professional performers dance and sing without the lights and glitz of an actual performance. If you're a fan of musicals, this is a definite must see. However, if you're a fan of seeing passionate people strive for greatness, even if you're not a musical buff, I highly recommend it.

I think some of the reviewers have mistaken Every Little Step for a documentary on the creation of A Chorus Line. It was a documentary on casting the 2006 revival of A Chorus Line with some archival information. The archival information did focus on Michael Bennett and Marvin Hamlisch was interviewed extensively, but to say that it excluded others is, I think, way off base. This was not a documentary on the creation of A Chorus Line. The contributors were all listed at the end of Every Little Step.Having said that I thought the archival information was very interesting. Some of the original recordings were played and they appeared to be included in the play almost verbatim, not to diminish the fine work of Kirkwood and Kleban. They showed the various singer/dancers competing side by side, or singing a song line by line with one doing the 1st line, another doing the next and so one. You did hear some songs multiple times but certainly not to the point where it became annoying or anything.Very interesting and entertaining to see how the cast was put together, who they chose and who they didn't. I HIGHLY recommend this film.