Best of the Best Feature Scores
Explore all 40 feature scores for Best of the Best, organized into pros and cons.
Scores by Feature
Summary
40 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.025 (63%)
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Positive 3.5-4.412 (30%)
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Neutral 2.5-3.42 (5%)
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Negative 1.5-2.41 (3%)
Pros
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Choreography is the clearest consensus strength: reviewers call the routines electric, inventive, culturally varied, and exciting enough to carry even the most familiar story beats.
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Maitreyi Ramakrishnan and Priyanka Kedia are consistently praised for making Maya and Anjali feel like longtime friends, with natural banter, warmth, irritation, and emotional history.
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The two leads are one of the strongest points of agreement, with Priyanka Kedia and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan repeatedly praised for charisma, energy, and emotional credibility.
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The friendship story frequently lands with real feeling, from painful arguments to a finale that several reviewers found genuinely moving or uplifting.
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The comedy is a major strength for most reviewers, with quick banter and culturally specific jokes landing often. A smaller number note that some jokes fall flat.
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Most reviewers celebrate the specific South Asian-American setting, dance traditions, and female friendship at the center. A minority argue that parts of the writing feel out of touch or would benefit from deeper female authorship.
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Lena Khan is repeatedly praised for energetic, clear direction that lets performers and dance routines breathe while keeping the tone buoyant.
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The cast is widely praised for lively, committed work, especially in the dance-heavy material. The main dissent says some exchanges can feel less natural than intended.
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Most reviewers find the movie funny, joyous, and easy to watch. Lower scores come from critics who feel the derivative story or slower second half drains too much energy.
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Dance-movie fans are the core audience: many reviewers see it as a welcome, highly enjoyable throwback, while a few feel its familiar formula keeps it from becoming memorable.
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The best dance set pieces and cinematography are described as colorful, theatrical, and visually striking, though one reviewer says the overall direct-to-streaming look can feel cheap outside the showcase numbers.
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The friendship-centered story is widely seen as warm, relatable, and effective even when simple. The biggest weakness is that several reviewers find the formula too familiar or the later conflict too simplified.
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Reviewers respond well to its messages about friendship, self-definition, living fully in the present, and choosing a life on your own terms.
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The soundtrack is repeatedly praised for strong needle drops, varied Indian music, and crowd-pleasing songs that add momentum to the dance sequences.
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The cultural specificity is repeatedly described as a strength rather than a barrier, with reviewers expecting the film to connect beyond South Asian audiences and especially with younger dance fans.
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Most reactions to the ending are positive, especially the final dance and reconciliation, though a few critics find the climax abrupt or the resolution too convenient.
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The film gets strong marks for friendship, identity, and sisterhood, but one critic argues that deeper cultural pressures on South Asian women are raised without being fully explored.
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The ensemble is generally seen as lively and memorable, with several comic standouts. One negative review says many supporting players fade into the background because they are underdeveloped.
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Several reviewers see it as an easy comfort rewatch, helped by the friendship, music, dance routines, and upbeat spirit.
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Maya and Anjali are generally viewed as rounded, relatable leads with believable inner conflicts. Several critics say the supporting characters and male arcs are thinner or less reflective.
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The screenplay earns frequent praise for structure, wit, cultural specificity, and ensemble balance, but critics also point to contrivances, thin supporting characters, and derivative plotting.
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The central friendship conflict often lands emotionally, but one review finds the second-half escalation repetitive and lower-energy.
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The photography is praised for warm campus imagery and colorful staging that gives the dance numbers visual lift.
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Costumes are singled out as part of the film’s vibrant identity, helping both the campus world and performance sequences feel distinctive.
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The film is described as wholesome and, despite a small amount of mature reference, suitable for a family movie night.
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Pacing ranges from top-notch and rhythmically satisfying to noticeably slower once repeated friendship conflict dominates the second half.
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The perspective and cultural detail often feel fresh, but the underlying dance-movie structure is very familiar. Some critics celebrate the new angle; others call the story outright derivative.
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The story is generally easy to follow and its many threads come together cleanly, even when the structure is simple.
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The movie is praised for keeping its satire, emotion, songs, and coming-of-age comedy cohesive rather than letting the music-heavy format overwhelm the story.
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Editing gets sharply split reactions. Some praise clean, generous cutting, while another critic says frequent cuts prevent viewers from fully appreciating the choreography.
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One reviewer calls it a fun family watch and sees little in the content that should worry families.
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The UCLA setting is praised for feeling like a real social ecosystem rather than a generic campus backdrop.
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A reviewer notes some mention of sex but still considers the movie a comfortable family watch, indicating approval of the relatively restrained level.
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The campus and South Asian dance community feel specific and lived-in, with tradition and experimentation presented as parts of the same evolving culture.
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The near-two-hour length divides critics: some are entertained enough to want even more, while another says the second-half conflict noticeably bloats the runtime.
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The recurring friendship theme is designed to connect emotional scenes and, according to the composer, gives the score cohesion without competing with the many songs.
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The dialogue draws both praise and criticism: one review finds it natural and current without trying too hard, while another says English-language exchanges can feel noticeably removed from real speech.
Cons
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Predictability is the most consistent story complaint, with several reviewers saying the film follows familiar college and dance-movie beats almost exactly.
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One critic says the movie is less of the raucous comedy promised by its synopsis, especially once the more dramatic second half takes over.
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The romance is secondary to the friendship. Some reviewers find the love interests useful to the leads’ growth, while others reject one pairing as formulaic or unappealing.
Cast & Creators
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AnjaliShe is one of the strongest points of consensus, praised for lead energy, ease, subtle emotional work, and believable chemistry with Ramakrishnan.
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MayaShe is repeatedly praised for charisma, comic bite, physicality, and emotional vulnerability as Maya, though one critic feels the performance remains too close to her Never Have I Ever persona.
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Professor LatifReviews frequently praise his comic and writing contributions, from a tightly structured script to culturally specific humor; his supporting professor role is also described as a welcome presence.
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WriterHer direction is consistently associated with infectious energy, clear dance staging, momentum, and a strong grasp of the film’s cultural tensions.
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WriterHis writing is repeatedly praised for sharp structure, topical comedy, cultural specificity, and ensemble balance.
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ChoreographerHer choreography is repeatedly identified as a major strength, giving the dance sequences distinct identities, cultural range, and memorable energy.
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CinematographerHis cinematography is praised for warm daytime imagery and colorful framing that supports the dance set pieces without overwhelming them.
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HarryHe is repeatedly singled out for comic impact, including one review that calls him a scene-stealer.
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EditorHis editing is praised in positive reviews for supporting the scale and colorful movement of the set pieces without making them feel busy.
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Costume DesignerHer costume design is praised for helping UCLA and the performance world feel vivid, specific, and lived-in.
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Production DesignerHis production design is praised for making UCLA feel like a convincing social ecosystem rather than a generic campus set.
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ActorHer performance is singled out for bringing veteran authority to the role of Anjali’s mother.
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ChoreographerHer choreography is praised for helping each routine feel distinct and attention-grabbing.
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NirbhayHe is warmly received as a lovable comic presence who also gets one of the film’s most satisfying speeches.
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ChoreographerHis choreography is praised for giving the dance sequences distinct identities and strong visual momentum.
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ShreeHis brief work as Shree is praised as funny without overstaying its welcome.
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ActorHer appearance is praised as spirited and more naturally earned than the typical celebrity cameo.
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AyeshaHer brief performance as Ayesha is praised for comic timing and a funny supporting presence.
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ArjunHis Arjun is viewed positively as a supportive romantic counterpoint who gives Maya room to test her priorities.
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RonakHis Ronak is viewed as serviceable to effective depending on the review: one critic calls him fairly typical, while another finds the character useful to Anjali’s arc.