Sadly Over-hyped

good film but with many flaws

Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Masayuki Suo has produced a melodramatic story set in Japan that features ballroom dancing. Neither would particularly appeal however the film is elevated by a combination of depth, comedy featuring Aoki San and scenes shot in Blackpool! The most impressive aspect of this movie is how all of the characters come to life. Nearly 15 years after its release, its only now that I have had the pleasure of seeing it.The story focuses on a man undergoing a mid-life crisis who spontaneously takes up ballroom dancing. The film proceeds to follow the characters who make up the dance class.I am sometimes amazed how we can interpret characters in a film just by their physical appearance. For example Tamako Sensei is the forgiving type of person that she appears! Also Macho is the sleazy type of dancer that he appears! They wouldn't need to do or say anything and I would still conclude the same.Pros - Every single thing plus Aoki SanCons - The score is occasionally heavy handedOverall - 11 out of 10

What makes "Casablanca" the great movie it is is that it doesn't try to tell the history of the world; it is not an epic; it is a perfectly polished little gem, "the problems of three little people" told exquisitely."Shall We Dance" is such a polished gem. Set in the Japanese culture where all dancing is suspect, a middle-class middle-management man who has lost the luster of his life sees a beautiful young woman looking wistfully out the window of a dance studio and, eventually, goes looking for her. He finds much, much more.Does infidelity ensue? You'll have to decide for yourself. What does ensue is magic, not Harry Potter magic, the everyday ordinary kind of magic that makes the world of us common people so wonderfully worth living.I've said enough. There is so much sparkle to this gem throughout I feel as if nearly everything I want to tell you is a spoiler.See this movie. You owe it to yourself. You'll thank me.

Fabulous! Heart-warming! It's lovely film to watch. It's in slow drive with a slow build-up– so don't expect any high-flouting gushy-type scenes. It's one of the few films that well demonstrates the gradualness and step- by-step approach involved of learning a new skill. The novice dancers don't become suddenly flamboyant – they awkwardly move along.The main actor is wonderful and under-stated. I suppose he represents all us guys who are just too shy and inhibited to start to dance. There are some nice sub-plots – eclectic dancers, detectives and a daughter who steps in at the proper times. All and all a life-affirming film!

Dancing: The vertical expression of a horizontal desire legalised by music. This quote may have been in the mind of middle aged salaryman Shohei (Kaji Yakusho) who realises that his life is unfulfilled as he watches dance instructor Mai (Tamiyo Kusakari) every night from his commuter train. In a moment of impulsiveness, he signs up for dance lessons to be near the sphinx like Mai. This might have been a movie about the budding romance between the somewhat improbably beautiful leads. Instead director Masayuki Suo focuses more on the excitement and passion of the ballroom than the attraction between Shohei and Mai, and makes a better, less predictable movie for it. Both the lead and supporting roles are played to near perfection, though Naoto Takenaka as the troll like Latin wannabe Mr. Aoki, shamelessly steals every scene he is in.Will Shoheis horizontal aspirations be fulfilled? Will his irredeemably dull wife discover his guilty secret? Will he go to the ball? You can be reassured that these questions will be answered to your satisfaction by the end of this endearingly sweet movie.