DANCE WITH ME
A movie review by Joe Barlow
(c) Copyright 1998
STARRING: Vanessa L. Williams, Chayanne, Kris Kristofferson DIRECTOR: Randa Haines WRITER: Daryl Matthews RATED/YEAR: PG/1998
RATING: **** (out of a possible *****)
Sometimes it's wonderful to be wrong. When I saw the first trailer for "Dance With Me," the new film from director Randa "Children of a Lesser God" Haines, I wasn't impressed. The world hardly needs another movie in which boring characters wade through a minimalistic plot, whose only purpose is to link one spectacularly-choreographed dance number to the next. After learning who the stars of the film were, I was even less interested: we have pop singer Vanessa Williams as the female lead, starring opposite Chayanne, a man who seems to have misplaced his last name. Oh, and Kris Kristofferson is along for the ride, too. Yes, *the* Kris Kristofferson. In a dance movie. Ooo, it's gonna hurt.
That's the attitude I carried into the opening-day screening of the movie; two hours and twenty minutes later I walked out, wearing what I'm sure is one of the dopiest grins that has ever graced my face. I knew the smile was there, but I simply couldn't get rid of it. Every time I tried, a wonderful moment from the film would flash across my mind and the grin would reattach itself. I was self-concious about this until I took a good look at the other people filing out alongside me. Friends, I say this with absolutely no exaggeration whatsoever: I saw a similar smile on *every* face emerging from the theater. That's the kind of movie we're dealing with.
Our story opens in present-day Cuba, where a handsome young man named Rafael (Chayanne) is coming to terms with the recent death of his mother. He receives a sympathy letter from a Texan named John (Kris Kristofferson), an old friend of the family. In addition to condolences, John's note contains an invitation for Rafael to come to America for an extended visit. John owns a struggling dance studio and is willing to offer the mechanically-inclined Rafael a "handyman" position, allowing him to earn some spending money while he's in the country. Having no reason to stay in Cuba, and curious about the mysterious land known as "The United States," he accepts John's offer.
After arriving at the studio, the charismatic Rafael befriends nearly all the students. Only the beautiful Ruby (Vanessa Williams) is cold and aloof, after Rafael has the nerve to offer an unsolicited criticism of one of her routines. Ruby is an extremely-talented dancer; her main problem is that she KNOWS it, and is reluctant to take advice from anyone she regards as beneath her. This includes Rafael, who she sees as a mere handyman with no dance experience whatsoever. The evidence seems to support her view: Rafael stumbles and trods on his partner's feet when he attempts to learn even a simple waltz.
But Rafael, though untrained, reveals himself to be a fine dancer in his own right. His secret: simply go with the beat of the music, let it seep into your soul, then do whatever comes naturally. He has no use for "real" dance steps, since everything he needs to know is contained in the music itself. Ruby is astonished the first time she sees Rafael dance this way:
RUBY: I thought you couldn't dance!
RAFAEL: I'm Cuban. Of course I can dance.
Even as a cautious friendship begins to form between Rafael and Ruby, we learn of bigger problems. John, whose passion for dance has dwindled as he's aged (and is now all but extinguished), wants nothing more to do with the trade. Planning to retire to the coast and become a full-time fisherman, he agrees to keep the studio open only through the end of the following month, to allow his students time to practice for an upcoming competition. During this limited time frame, the friendship between himself and Rafael grows extremely complex, which raises other issues John does not wish to deal with.
As our characters' relationships grow and change, we can see the thought and depth that has gone into this film. At no point are any of our characters (with the exception of the one-note Julian, Ruby's ex) less than utterly convincing; this is true even of those students with little screen time. My favorite is Bea (Joan Plowright), a dance student in her late sixties, who is the spitting image of her namesake from "The Andy Griffith Show." All of her scenes contain a great deal of heart, and the wonderful routine she performs with Rafael near the film's finale generated a round of delighted applause at the screening I attended.
The direction is subtle but more than effective; never once does director Haines feel the need to grandstand or make any Great Statements. The camerawork is straightforward and solid, and the wonderful Latin music is nothing short of infectous. The cinematographer has chosen to use very soft lighting for most of the scenes, giving a cozy, intimate feel that suits the movie well. All of these traits come together in the magnificent dance number in which Rafael and Ruby cut loose in a Cuban club. Watch how the camera lightly weaves in and out of the crowd as Ruby is handed off from one partner to the next, like a human hot potato. She and the other dancers, male and female alike, are but a blur of smiles and bright colors, enveloped by this amazing music. It's at this point that Ruby finally realises what Rafael has been telling her all along: follow the melody, and your feet will move by themselves. It's unquestionably my favorite moment in the entire film.
The movie owes much of its success to Chayanne's portrayl of Rafael. The guy is just so darn likeable, with a disarming smile that makes you want to dash up and throw a brotherly arm around his shoulder, that the story is practically guaranteed to work. Vanessa Williams also shows remarkable range as Ruby, covering a wide spectrum of emotions and never once faltering. This is vital. Witness the following dialogue, as Ruby explains to Rafael why she wishes to leave the studio and return to her former dance partner:
RAFAEL: What about the night we danced?
RUBY: That was different.
RAFAEL: That's my point.
These lines are so perfectly delivered that we never doubt them. If they'd been spoken by less-skilled actors, however, they could've come across as laughably trite.
But the biggest surprise for me was Kris Kristofferson's masterful portrayl of John. Arguably the most complex performance in the movie, Kristofferson has full control of his character at all times, knowing precisely when to reign himself in. There are no moments of self- indulgence, which could've been fatal to the story's believability. I sincerely hope that he's remembered when Oscar nominations for "Best Supporting Actor" are announced; he's THAT good. (What is it about country singers that makes them great actors, anyway? First there was Dwight Yokam in "Sling Blade," then Lyle Lovett in "The Opposite of Sex," and now Mr. Kristofferson. Granted, KK has acted in other movies before, but he's never been better than he is here.)
"Dance With Me" is not the best film I've seen this year, but its warm afterglow has stayed with me. The movie is joyful and innocent; in every shot we can feel the filmmakers' love of dance and their great wish to share it with the audience. We need more films like this. Thinking about the movie as I write these words, I can feel that dopey grin back on my face. But if a film can make me feel this good, I don't mind a bit.
E-Mail: jbarlow@earthling.net Joe Barlow on Film: http://www.ipass.net/~jbarlow/film.htm
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