Too much of everything

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

"Chaindance" does not feature the usual whacked out Brad Dourif performance. Here he plays a very sympathetic character, severely disabled, with Michael Ironside a lot of the time chained to his wheelchair. The movie explores an uneasy relationship between the handicapped Dourif, and the explosive prisoner, Ironside. I liked "Chaindance" because it is different and not very predictable. Character development is especially good, and Dourif's performance difficult and excellent. Although the story is a real stretch of believability, it is entertaining, and that's enough for me to recommend the film ....... - MERK

This is a film that truly shows that Brad Dourif can act. This also shows that Michael Ironside, could have a character that truly could be "loveable".Brad Dourif's performance as a man with Cerebral Palsy was flawless, and it was equal to Daniel Day-Lewis' Cerebral Palsy performance in "My Left Foot" released the year before. Truly this was showing a true insight into the character, since neither actor (Dourif or Day-Lewis) had the other performer's work to look upon given the production schedules and release schedules of both films.This is high praise for me, because, I have not really been a Brad Dourif fan. I appreciated his 'Billy Bibbit' role in "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" (1975), and his role as 'Piter De Vries' in David Lynch's version of "Dune" (1984) which was made with the on set assistance of the author Frank Herbert so it has a special place in my heart.If this film EVER comes out on DVD, I will Definitely add it to my collection. I keep searching for it to come out... but like most quality "art house" Canadian films, I am not holding my breath for it to come out anytime soon. This was a low budget film, and Aylward & Ironside as rather new writers came up with a quality script all things considered. If you compare it with a "Big Budget Hollywood Film", then you will be disappointed. But if you want a film that shows human drama from the points of view of someone with severe Cerebral Palsy (Dourif) and a Convict on work release (Ironside), with heart, and looking at it from a "Foreign Film" point of view, rather than a "Hollywood" point of view, you may find this a very touching and lovely little film to come out from our Neighbors to the North in Canada.

Even though I think the premise of this film (a government agency allowing inmates to work with the disabled) is flawed and un-doable, I still think this is a good film. Suspend your disbelief about this facet of the plot, and enjoy the message it tries to tell.The story is the basic "losers get a second chance" plot, and I always am a sucker for such a movie, as long as it is done well. And I believe this movie is done well. It is flawed because of the implausibility of the plot, but I was able to put that aside.Character actor Michael Ironside (who always seems to play creeps and psychos) stars in this movie, playing a loser two-bit criminal who realizes that he can have a second chance in life. Amazingly enough, Ironside also produced and co-wrote this movie. I think Ironside should do more roles such as this, and produce more films such as this. As good as he is playing creeps and jerks, his talent is underappreciated, as far as I am concerned.Brad Dourif is outstanding playing a wheelchair-bound man who is "paired up" with Ironside's character. They are literally chained together at first, as Ironside is assigned to care for Dourif in his wheelchair. Dourif is always excellent but in this movie, he really shows his range. Absolutely amazing.I highly recommend this film. It is available at Amazon.com under the title "Common Bonds". It has some flaws, but is full of heart and cannot help but inspire and elevate the viewer, at least a little. However, it is not for young children -- there is brief nudity, some profane language and some violence (it is set in a prison part of the time, after all).

An amazingly under-rated film that has been unfairly ignored by many, I would definitely count this among the best films of 1990. Driven by a thought-provoking plot and the surprisingly powerful performances of Michael Ironside and Brad Dourif, and a fine supporting turn by Rae Dawn Chong, this movie is definitely worth a look if you happen to notice it on the video store shelf.