Take the Lead - quick review
 

(Didn't find a thread on this film after searching and looking for the past 2 weeks, but if a previous thread exists, please merge the threads)

I really enjoyed the heart of this film, the pervasive feeling you get from watching good ballroom dancing with an urban twist thrown in to shake things up. My audience was so into the film that it broke out in applause at the conclusion of the standout dance performance in the last act of the film. That's the kind of buzz this film got right in terms of giving the audience earnest and exhilirating dance numbers, and a cast that you can root for given how far they had come to become the unlikeliest of ballroom dancers.

Now, the bits of inter-personal storylines that were interspersed throughout the film for the students were fine, nothing groundbreaking, the effects of learning how to dance and relate to one another in a new and positive manner more than made up for any deficiencies in the glimpses in the students' lives.

Antonio Banderas is very suave, smooth, just perfect for the role, though he spoke a little too softly in spots. Alfre Woodard is able to give enough principal import to whatever scene she is in, and provides a good foundation for grounding the film, while also becoming invested in the transformation of the wayward students that were previously just an after-school detention class.

If you enjoy ballroom dancing, and films that feature underdogs to root for, then you'll have a nice time with this film. (I blame "Dancing with the Stars" for my recent interest in ballroom dancing, but I make no excuses for enjoying watching it done well, and not so well.)

I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B.

Here is a thread that I sorta started about this flick. :lol:

I've noticed that some people like it, and some hate it. I'd be willing to guess that if you are into dance then you'll find something about the flick that you like. The reviews at RT aren't that great so far though, with 45% and 38%.

I highly recommend Strictly Ballroom and Mad Hot Ballroom if you are into dance. I'm not huge into it, but I loved both of those films.

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm interested in seeing what other people think of this one.