Charles Stone, the director of the gritty crime drama Paid in Full, here delivers a formulaic yarn about a gifted hero who must overcome his Achilles' heel in order to fulfill his dreams and win the woman of them. Inner-city snare-drummer Devon (Nick Cannon) lands a scholarship to play in the marching band at Atlanta A&T (an obvious, if not flattering, reference to the black colleges of the South). Making the squad, however, turns out to be a process more grueling than fraternity hazing or football tryouts. Needless to say, Devon is an instant all-star, though his showboating and his inability to read music threaten to derail him.

Playing against his comic type, Orlando Jones gives a double-take-worthy performance as the stoic professor helming the band. And Cannon charms, though he owes his effectiveness to the talented (and largely unknown) players he bounces off, including Leonard Roberts as his percussion rival, Zoe Saldana as the love interest, and Jones. The plot may have too many pitfalls and reprieves, but like 8 Mile it does save the best for last: the big battle between rival bands that's settled by a shootout between the drum lines. The music, a twill of traditional and hip-hop, is emotionally overwhelming, and the in-your-face choreography is nothing short of electrifying. (134 minutes) At the Entertainment, Flagship, Holiday, Providene Place Mall 16, and Showcase cinemas.