STRICTLY BALLROOM
A film review by Evan Hunt
Copyright 1993 Evan Hunt
If you're the kind of person who sighs wistfully at the end of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN because they don't make movies like that anymore, rejoice--because they have! STRICTLY BALLROOM is a marvel of a movie, a parody of every musical cliche that amazingly also rejuvenates the genre and makes it fresh and alive again. It is at once sweetly romantic and hilariously funny and somehow makes a film about ballroom dancing which uses old pop songs the most original film musical since BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
The story of STRICTLY BALLROOM uses elements from every musical ever made, and uses them perfectly. Scott, a young dancer, loses his partner when he breaks the regulations and starts dancing unauthorized steps. Fran, a frumpy beginner at his mothers dance school (marvelously played by Tara Morice), persuades him to follow his dream, with her as his partner. As they learn to dance together, they fall in love--but will Scott be able to stand against the pressure to go back to his old partner and dance to win?
What makes STRICTLY BALLROOM work so well is the utter conviction of the players. Although the extravagant parody is hilarious, the characters are utterly sincere, making you feel for them even as you laugh. The classic falling-in-love-through-dance scenes are blissful--the dancers simply glow with romance.
STRICTLY BALLROOM is the kind of movie that sends you out of the theatre dancing and singing, with an insane smile on your face. If there was an Oscar for "movie that makes you feel real good", this would win.
-- Evan Hunt, Asst. Editor, THE WEB For more information about THE WEB, e-mail to evanh@sco.COM.
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