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全hall We Dance?' stumbles
BY L. KENT WOLGAMOTT / Lincoln Journal Star
Friday, Oct 15, 2004 - 12:10:43 am CDT
In 1996, Japanese director Masayuki Suo made a movie about a businessman who, bored with his life, finds freedom in the world of ballroom dance. It was called "Shall We Dance?" and was a charming, perfectly realized film.
Confirming that mainstream American cinema has about run out of ideas, "Shall We Dance?" has been given the Hollywood treatment, complete with pretty stars Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez. But, as is usually the case with foreign remakes, director Peter Chelsom and company substitute the charm and appeal of the original for dull blandness.
Gere plays John Clark, a Chicago lawyer who is successful on the surface but bored with his life. Riding the train home each day, he sees the neon sign for Miss Mitzi's dance studio and, in the window, often the beautiful face of Paulina (Lopez), one of the studio's teachers.
One day, he gets up the courage to jump off the train, run up the stairs and, before he knows it, he's taking dance lessons. But he doesn't get Paulina as an instructor. Instead, Mitzi (Anita Gillette) instructs the beginners class. To his surprise, John begins to enjoy dance, regardless of his pursuit of Paulina.
Soon enough, his unexplained late-evening arrivals home begin to bother his wife, Beverly (Susan Sarandon), who hires a private detective (Richard Jenkins). The gumshoe finds exactly what the audience already knows: John's going to dance class.
The crux of the plot of "Shall We Dance?" pivots on whether John has an affair with Paulina and what his dalliance into dance does to his relationship with Beverly. But there's not much real drama that comes with either plot line.
The Japanese picture had a healthy amount of humor, and there's an effort to bring some laughs to the Americanized version. That comes through Stanley Tucci, who plays Link Peterson, conveniently one of John's co-workers, who acts like a macho sports fan at the office but really just wants to be on the dance floor in a nice sequined outfit, and through Lisa Ann Walter, who plays aspiring, if slightly overweight, competitive dancer Bobbie.
The competition is, of course, where the movie reaches what passes for its dramatic peak. But as it winds down, it becomes obvious there wasn't much drama to begin with, and the bland mushiness and predictability of the script sink the picture, despite the efforts of the cast.
Those who like to see dancing in movies will probably enjoy "Shall We Dance?" Gere learned how to dance for "Chicago" and is good and believable in the dance scenes, and Walter, Tucci, Gillette and the rest of the dancers are entertaining.
Now for J. Lo., whose star has dramatically dimmed over the past couple of years.
Even with her dancing background, she's dramatically miscast here and largely sinks into the background, a presence rather than a person. Even when her character is given more to say and do, she doesn't do much with it, seemingly either walking through the picture or unable to connect with the role.
In either case, her downward spiral continues, and she takes "Shall We Dance?" down with her.
Reach L. Kent Wolgamott at 473-7244 or kwolgamott@journalstar.com.
Shall We Dance
*ｽ
Director: Peter Chelsom
Stars: Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci
Rated: PG-13 (for some sexual references, brief language)
Now Showing: SouthPointe
The Reel Story: This remake of a Japanese film about a bored lawyer (Gere) who finds excitement in the world of ballroom dancing has none of the charm or drama of the original.
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