Shall We Dance?
A film review by Hanson Yoo
Copyright 1997 Hanson Yoo
Being that it is a foreign language film with no known names with a select number theaters showing it, "Shall We Dance" won't be seen by that many people. And that's a shame - this is a funny, enchanting, and goofy movie full of laughs, surprises, and wonderful dance sequences.
The surprising thing about "Shall We Dance" is the universal appeal of the story. A US version is in the works, and it's no wonder - it's not really all that culture specific. Although there is a narrated set-up that adds some extra resonance to the proceedings (about the view the Japanese culture has about ballroom dancing), the movie is so rich in character and appeal that this added layer isn't at all necessary to understand or enjoy the film. The only important unexplained Japanese-specific reference that may leave some a bit puzzled is that 1000 yen is roughly $10 (when you see the film - and you should see this film - you'll know why).
A middle aged company man realizes that achieving all the goals he set for himself in life (a house, a child, and good marriage) still doesn't translate into a fulfilled life. After glimpsing a melancholy beauty looking out from a dance studio window while on the train home from work, Sugiyana (Koji Yakusho) decides after some trepidation to take up ballroom dance lessons in order to meet the woman who has stirred something in himself. After finding the weekly fees for private lessons from the elegant and beautiful Mai (Tamiyo Kusakari) too rich for his blood, Sugiyama opts for groups lessons simply to be near her. We then meet the players in this gem of a movie, who all have their own reasons for joining the class. Later on, we meet Aoki at the dance studio (Naoto Takenaka), a co-worker and all out weirdo and one of the laugh riot highlights of the film. The story, laughs, and touching scenes evolve as the movie goes along.
It's a pleasure to watch such a wonderful film that is propelled almost solely by the characters and performances. It's difficult to explain the charms of the film without revealing too much - the movie abounds with little revelations that subtly shape the characters, and in the end, each one is that much fuller and more understood by the time you leave the theater. It's one of those movies that only the French seem to make anymore - no big plot, no special effects, no gunplay, no tragic consequences, no forced examinations of the nature of love, and no insights into the nature of evil. Just a warm, funny, endearing film that will charm the pants off of you. When was the last time you left a theater feeling all warm and fuzzy inside? "Shall We Dance" will do that to you without any treacly aftertaste.
Grade: A-
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