With its French production, loveable characters, star-studded cast, and a passionate subject of dance, Leap! had all the right components to be the perfect family movie as summer drew to a close. Unfortunately, this film’s foreseeable storyline and mediocre execution rendered it more predictable than pleasing.

When I first saw the trailer for Leap!, I was drawn in by the international production and obvious dedication to dance. With stars such as Nat Wolff, Elle Fanning, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Maddie Ziegler voicing the main characters, I was really excited to see the life brought to the creative characters. The film was translated from the French film Ballerina, making it almost like a real French production. Produced by La��Atelier company in Montreal, Canada, I truly thought Leap! would be different from most animated movies available today.

Alas, the film failed to differentiate itself in the slightest from the dozens of other animated films put out this year. From the very first ten minutes, the storyline could already be predicted.

In short, underdog Felicie travels hundreds of miles to Paris to attend the prestigious Paris Ballet School. She meets Camille, your typical movie mean girl, who becomes Felicie’s rival. Along the way, she has to choose between her longtime best friend Victor, and a new, rich, talented boy she meets named Rudy. With no twists or even the slightest of turns, the movie became boring and mundane very quickly.

The only other problem with Leap! was its indifferent production. With your run-of-the-mill slo-mo fight scenes, training montages, and dramatic reveals, the scenes that were supposed to make the film special succeeded in doing the opposite. Its repetitive dialogue turned one of the main characters into a broken record by the end of the movie. Leap! had something special in its concept, but that dissipated along with its individuality.

If only the production and storyline could be fixed, because the other components of the film were actually very enjoyable. Carly Rae Jepsen and Maddie Ziegler voiced their characters with true spark and passion. The touches of French culture and dance expressions made the reader tune in and discover new concepts. Although I don’t dance, the devotion that thousands around the world have for it was portrayed very clearly in this movie. Through its cast, distinctive touches, and theme, Leap! partly made up for its pitfalls.

On a dreary winter day, Leap! will be able to lift your spirits with its touching characters and uplifting theme. However, just be prepared to be a little disappointed with the lack of creativity by the end of it.