SHALL WE DANCE?
a review by Jeffrey Overstreet
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Masayuki Suo’s Shall We Dance? became a favorite of moviegoers around the world when it opened in 1996.
Thus, as they have done with so many acclaimed foreign films, American filmmakers have taken something beautiful and hammered it down into an unremarkable mush. They proceed to spoon feed it to the audience, assuming that we don’t want to be bothered by having to chew on anything.
There. Having confirmed what we all knew would be the case—that Peter Chelsom’s version of the movie is inferior to the original—let me now say that the news is certainly not as bad as it could have been. In fact, if the original Shall We Dance? didn’t exist, this one would deserve praise as a lively, spirited piece of light entertainment.
That’s because, for all of its easy jokes, unremarkable performances, and unbalanced comedy, Chelsom’s movie sticks to the script. It defies the wishes of those viewers who came in wanting to see a steamy romance between Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez. In fact, he restricts Lopez to a surprisingly small role, and lets Susan Sarandon share the spotlight. Infidelity, which looks like such a glamorous possibility, is defeated. The film ends up celebrating marriage. For that, it earns some big points.
Gere plays John Clark, a father and a husband who finds his life has gone stale. He’s lacking passion for anything, including his marriage. When he sees a beautiful woman (Lopez) staring sadly out of a dance studio window, he’s lured to set foot on the dance floor for the first time. There, he discovers that her name is Paulina, and she’s an instructor with a troubled past. Motivated by his weaknesses, he enrolls in the class just to be near her.
At home, his wife Beverly (Sarandon) and daughter (Tamara Hope) grow suspicious of his long evening absences, while he steps carefully around the floor with his classmates (including Stanley Tucci, Bobby Cannavale, and Omar Miller). Eventually, Beverly decides to hire a private detective (the always-fantastic Richard Jenkins), which relieves her initial fears but deepens her curiosity.
And so the gear wheels of the plot begin to turn, awkwardly and, at times, predictably. Will John give in to his temptation and run off with the sexy instructor? Will he compete in the ballroom dance championships? Will his wife find out about his new obsession? Is his marriage doomed?
While Chelsom’s version of the film is strikingly different in tone and pace than the original, it has charms all its own, especially in the chemistry of the ensemble cast. Stanley Tucci turns in a crowdpleasing, if hammy, performance. The Station Agent‘s secret weapon, Bobby Cannavale, is amusing in the first half hour, but fades into the background later.
But while it earns some cheers and some laughs, it remains a comedy trifle, one that tries too hard to please us. The cast attempt to merge the subtle flourishes of the original with the flamboyant, exaggerated comedy of Strictly Ballroom, and they frequently lose their balance; the comedy feels increasingly forced and eventually falls flat. Poor Richard Jenkins has his typically witty work spoiled by an appallingly un-funny sidekick played by Nick Cannon.
Still, when the dancers strut their stuff—especially in a much-anticipated, after-hours practice between John and Paulina—the movie musters enough magic to keep us engaged. Gere gives a winningly low-key performance, and Lopez is convincing when she needs to be (although she has yet to match her strong work in Out of Sight).
Fortunately, the film can boast of having a strong moral center, one that honors marriage more than any commercial film in recent memory. It may not be a memorable film, but it’s certainly not the nightmare it could have been.
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Director – Peter Chelsom
Writer – Audrey Wells
Based on the film by Masayuki Suo
Director of photography – John De Borman.
Editor – Charlie Ireland
Choreographer – John O’Connell
Production designer – Caroline Hanania
Producer – Simon Fields
Released by Miramax Films.
106 minutes. Rated PG-13.
STARRING: Richard Gere (John Clark), Jennifer Lopez (Paulina), Susan Sarandon (Beverly Clark), Stanley Tucci (Link Peterson), Bobby Cannavale (Chic), Lisa Ann Walter (Bobbie), Omar Benson Miller (Vern), Anita Gillette (Miss Mitzi), Richard Jenkins (Detective) and Nick Cannon (Scotty).
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