Steve Zahn gives the performance of his career in “She Dances”. It’s a funny, warm-hearted, and endearing father-daughter dramedy inspired by the actor’s own personal experience as a bonafide “dance dad” to his daughter Audrey, who makes a splash in her wonderful big screen debut. And the real-life relationship they share adds volumes to what we see on screen.

“She Dances” marks the directorial debut of Rick Gomez who works from a screenplay he co-wrote with Steve Zahn. Together they craft a story that is built upon a fairly recognizable framework. A hurting father and daughter take an unexpected trip together and end up rekindling their once close relationship along the way. That’s not what you might call a new premise. But it’s what Gomez and Zahn does with it that makes “She Dances” shine.

Steve Zahn plays Jason Phillips, a husband and father who lives separately from his wife Deb (Rosemarie DeWitt) and their daughter Claire (Audrey Zahn). The reason for the separation is a heartbreaking tragedy that comes more into focus as the story plays out. But in essence, they are three fragile people struggling to deal with things in their own ways. Jason has essentially shut himself off which has only made things worse.

Claire has grown up dancing. And now as a senior in high school, she’s all prepared for her final dance competition. But in order to make the trip, Claire needs to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Circumstances make it to where Deb can’t go. So she convinces a reluctant Claire to call her dad to step in and accompany her to the competition. Jason nervously agrees, hence setting up the scenario that will force the father and daughter to finally reckon with their pain.

“She Dances” finds some good comedy in Jason’s well-intended but fumbled attempts at being a good dance dad. At times it strains too hard to squeeze laughs out of certain circumstances. But asGomez mostly finds a solid balance of heart and humor. And it never gets too silly or too schmaltzy. Rather the film maintains a firm grip on its humanity in big part thanks to the honest and organic connection between Zahn and Zahn.

The movie is also helped by a several supporting characters who each add different layers to the story. Mackenzie Ziegler is a lot of fun playing Claire’s best friend Kat who ends up being more than just a comic tag-along. Sonequa Martin-Green gets several good scenes as Claire and Kat’s dance instructor and mentor, Jamie. And Ethan Hawke brings a his natural charisma to the small but richly empathetic role of Jason’s supportive best friend and business partner.

“She Dances” hits its marks as a routinely funny comedy and a bittersweet family drama. It’s a film that surprises on many levels, never more than when its deeper themes rise to the surface. The elder Zahn pulls inspiration from some personally meaningful places to deliver what is a career-best performance. And the younger Zahn impresses in her big screen debut, avoiding the many traps that can accompany this kind of material. She’s a revelation and I’m already excited to see what she does next.

VERDICT – 4 STARS