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THE FITS

"A Young Girl’s Desire for Acceptance"

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What You Need To Know:

In THE FITS, an 11-year-old Cincinnati girl named Toni trains in a local gym to be a boxer with her older brother but becomes fixated on joining a dance team after seeing them practice. Toni’s brother encourages her to join, reminding her she only fails if she doesn’t try. She joins and works vigorously to learn the dance moves while befriending a fun-loving girl named Beezy. Toni longs to be liked by the other girls, but when a mysterious epidemic of fainting spells breaks out among the team, Toni’s desire for acceptance becomes more complicated.

THE FITS is an authentic dance movie using a cast of young female dancers from Cincinnati to heighten the story’s reality. Filmed on location, it gives viewers a real sense of low-income neighborhoods while depicting the desire of young girls to be accepted and loved. The movie has little dialogue, but doesn’t need it. THE FITS has a positive moral worldview about seeking love, acceptance and friendship, but caution is advised because of boy talk, brief foul language and the mysterious ailment that afflicts the dance troupe.

Content:

(B, L, V, S, N, M) Dominant moral worldview where Biblical principals of love, compassion and loyalty are present throughout friendships among young girls; one or two uses of the “b” word, plus young boy vomits, and a girl spits up water, one use of the “b” word; light violence such as boxing scenes, girls have mysterious fits of spasms, girl pushes another girl when she feels left out, and teenage girls get in each other’s face and push one another around to prove they are good dancers; no sex scenes but pre-adolescent girls listens in as older girls talk about boys, and one sexual reference when teenage girl discusses possibly being pregnant with a boy; upper male nudity in boxing scenes; no alcohol use; no smoking or drugs; and, some miscellaneous immorality such as greed, jealousy, bad role models, and absent parents.

More Detail:

THE FITS is a coming-of-age movie about a young pre-adolescent black girl striving to find her place in life with a dance troupe of other young girls. THE FITS is a character study, but it still engages viewers with its story of a young girl trying to find friendship and acceptance with her peers, though caution is advised because of some boy talk, brief language and a mysterious ailment that afflicts the dance troupe.

Eleven-year-old Toni trains every day to be a boxer with her older brother at a community center in Cincinnati, but during her time at the gym, she becomes fascinated by the dance team that practices nearby. She’s awed by the team of supportive girls and longs to be part of it. After her brother’s encouragement, she quits boxing to join the Lionesses dance team.

Toni works hard practicing before and after practice to get the dance routines down. While practicing, she becomes friends with a bright, fun-loving girl around her age named Beezy. Beezy is full of life and doesn’t care what anybody thinks about her, a contrast to Toni who longs to be accepted by the older girls.

As the movie progresses, it turns into a handful of short scenes of Toni and Beezy dancing around the gymnasium, playing tag, hanging on the jungle gym after practice, and helping each other learn the dance routines after practice. These scenes highlight the dance aspect, the powerful bond of sisterhood, and how a team often replaces family among inner-city children. There’s no mention of any parents as Toni’s older brother care for her and Beezy’s foster parents show up hours later after Beezy comes down with the fits. In the hood, parents are secondary to friendships, a reoccurring theme in the movie.

The movie changes tone when a strange fainting spell that begins to take over the dance time, starting with the two older team leaders. During practice both captains faint unable to control a series of terrible spasms. The news reports something might be wrong with the water, but after an inspection it’s revealed the “fits” have nothing to do with the water. The fits slowly starts to take over a number of girls on the team as they all begin to suffer terrible moans and pains. As this occurs, the fits become like a rite of passage for the girls on the team.

The fits become the plot’s driving force but function more like a metaphorical gesture to highlight Toni’s disconnection with the group and the battles within herself. She longs to be part of the team, but will she force herself to have the fits, even though she knows it may not be the best thing for her?

THE FITS is an authentic dance movie using a cast of young female dancers from Cincinnati to heighten the story’s reality. Filmed on location, it gives viewers a real sense of low-income neighborhoods while depicting the desire of young girls to be accepted and loved. The movie has very little dialogue, but doesn’t need it. It’s more of a character study than a plot-driven drama. THE FITS has a positive moral worldview about seeking love, acceptance and friendship, but caution is advised because of some boy talk, brief foul language and the mysterious ailment that afflicts the dance troupe.

Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.


Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.

What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.

You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.

Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.