As trite, corny and clich�d, and as utterly sticky and sickeningly sweet as "Out of Step" is, it's hard to dislike.

After all, few films these days wear their hearts on their sleeves. But this relatively low-key drama — produced by LDS filmmakers and obviously targeted at LDS filmgoers — does so proudly.

And the storyline is not exactly original. In fact, if the concept reminds you of "Flashdance" crossed with "Pretty in Pink," albeit with a decidedly Mormon bent, the film doesn't exactly go out of its way to discourage such comparisons.

But as far as first films go, most are much worse than "Out of Step." And it's refreshing to have a relatively squeaky-clean film arrive in theaters at a time when there's a decided dearth of quality cinema that is appropriate for all ages.

The film's title refers to Jennifer Thomas (Alison Akin Clark), a Mormon dancer trying to make it big in New York. She's fortunate enough to get into NYU's dance program, though she does miss out on getting a scholarship that would have helped pay for her classes.

Consequently, she's having to work twice as hard to make ends meet and is having a hard time making friends. So she's thankful for the presence of Paul (Michael Buster, who helped co-write the script), a fellow student who also happens to be LDS.

The aspiring filmmaker encourages her and also records her practices on videotape — for a documentary project he's doing for a class. However, she makes it clear to him that they're "just friends." Besides, she's smitten with Dave Schrader (Jeremy Elliott), a fellow student who may be trouble. For one thing, he's not LDS, though that doesn't stop Jenny from falling for him in a hurry.

Director Ryan Little and a trio of screenwriters aren't exactly subtle in their attempts to broach some pretty dicey religious and philosophical matters. There also a few obvious technical missteps — including some out-of-focus camera work and some bad scene and sound splices. But the majority of these can probably be attributed to the threadbare budget.

The performances more than make up for those shortcomings, however. Newcomer Clark is appealing in a way unlike the bland, assembly-line young stars Hollywood tends to produce. And her male co-stars are even better. Elliott ("Brigham City," "The Testaments") may look a bit too fresh-scrubbed for his part, but he's believable, and Buster (who played the rebellious missionary in "God's Army") puts in a serious bid to steal the movie.

"Out of Step" is rated PG for brief violence (a scuffle) and mild vulgarity (some mildly suggestive games). Running time: 90 minutes.

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E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com