![[box cover]](../../reviewimgs/y/yougotserved.jpg)
You Got Served
Life is cyclical by nature; for every new generation, there must be a new form of youth culture, even though it inevitably will revisit many of the same ideas and tropes of generations previous. For instance, the title of the 2004 film You Got Served is a variant on numerous phrases ("Sit on it!", "Face!", or getting "punk'd"), whereby someone is dismissed, and hopefully humiliated. Served is yet another incarnation. But would the filmmakers responsible for this financial windfall (with an $8 million budget, the title grossed $40 million) recognize that the movie has as much in common with Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo as it does 1939's Babes in Arms? Probably not. Just the same, it's worth noting that while this film (of this writing) has been rated the worst film, evah on the IMDb, it's not the first, nor the last, of its kind. David (Omarion) and Elgin (Marques Houston) are best friends, and a part of the best hip-hop crew in their 'hood. They've had an impressive winning streak at Mr. Rad's Warehouse (Mr. Rad is played by Steve Harvey), where groups of dancers have "dance-offs" to win the money in Mr. Rad's Hat. Things get complicated for the troupe when a competing crew headed by a guy named Wade (Christopher Jones) challenge David and Elgin's crew to the tune of $5,000, while internal troubles develop when David starts mackin' on Elgin's sister Liyah (Jennifer Freeman). The boys lose their initial fight against their rival crew and break up when tensions between David and Elgin get too hot. But when a big dance-off contest is announced with a prize package of $10,000 and a spot in the next Lil' Kim video, the boys are put into a position where they may be forced to work together to win. Directed by the manager of B2k for the members of B2k and related group Immature, You Got Served is a packaged presentation, but — like most musicals — while the plotting is rote, the main reason to watch is the impressive dancing, which here incorporates many breakdancing techniques like head-spinning and the "robot." For a new generation, these clichés may not seem as old hat, but as a musical the plot is just too formulaic for it to be exceptional. That said, the dance sequences are well shot, stylish, and impressive, making this a relatively painless effort. Columbia TriStar presents You Got Served in anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. Extras include a video and audio commentary featuring director Chris Stokes, producer Billy Pollina, choreographers Dave Scott and Shane Sparks, and actors Gabriel 'Wicket' Joachico, Meagan Good, Christopher Jones, Isiaiah Vest, Ivan 'Flipz' Velez, and a second commentary featuring Omarion, Houston, and Stokes. Also included is a "making-of" (26 min.), a five-angle featurette on the first dance-battle with an introduction by Pollina (7 min.), a highlight reel of the best dance moments (4 min.), a music video, the theatrical trailer, and bonus trailers. Keep-case.
—DSH
