Strike a Pose

It was really interesting to follow up on their lives. They have had so many struggles through the years trying to find their way in life. Although the guys don't hold resentment, I must say that this makes me dislike Madonna even more than I already did. In my opinion, she took hold of "kids" who thought they were family and when she was done with them, she was done...She's a very cold person.

What a fascinating exploration of seven dancers and the time they toured with Madonna. It brought back so many memories of the era. What I loved about this documentary was these men shared a very brief, crazy time in the spotlight, but they refused to be defined by this history. They have moved on, but they do recognize the importance of this time in helping them become the men they are.

It's hard to explain to people just how groundbreaking Madonna was. She was a global sensation who refused to be held to conventional ideas, gender lines and sexuality. At that time, with limited general knowledge, AIDS & HIV were thought to be a death sentence. People actually whispered the words. Coming out was a huge step, and many people lived in fear of being outed. Madonna played a huge part in instigating open discussions.

The physical beauty of the dancers is undeniable - their youth, prowess to command attention and ability is breathtaking. Thirty years later, their faces are still beautiful, and their stories continue to command attention. It was like seeing old friends, hearing their struggles - and some are heartbreaking - and feeling like their determination and spirits have helped them rise above and break free from what could have been a one-dimensional story.

Well done!

The first 30 minutes are okay, perhaps even enjoyable, the story is set up and quite interesting. But after that.. It's just pure TLC style. The story is nice, but it just did not add any new information after a while.

I have never walked out of a movie in a theatre before, but I did on this one.

I like what this group did, together with Madonna, for the acceptance of homosexuals in the world, only this movie does not do the tour, these men, or any of the people involved any good.

I think that even if you are very interested in Madonna, you would not enjoy this movie.

Lots of crying. Documentary-makers love it. Almost everybody in the movie gets to cry. Coming out of the closet and AIDS, AIDS, AIDS. No, it is not "powerful." It is stagey and manipulative. The individual stories are familiar. The only difference is Madonna.

Like the gay Waiting for Godot. Everybody talks about Madonna, but she's not there.

"We were like a family" is the motif. I doubt that the dancers were really that naive. They were Madonna's employees. Did they really think that they were going to be pals with her once the tour was over?

There is a shot of a mother watching a video of her dead son. There is a discussion of Bell's palsy.

There is an awkward reunion dinner apparently staged for this film. It's as if the dancers know what is expected. Lots of hugging and more crying. Declarations of undying love and friendship. A cringe-inducing replay of truth or dare. Everyone aware of the cameras. It seems self- conscious.

What do you do with your life if it peaks when you're 22? To be cast out of MDNA paradise. There are vague images of the dancers in what may be their present careers. One of them is a waiter, but it is implied that they are still in dance. No specifics are given. The idea is to leave on an upbeat note.

This doc is a bit lazy (it does not go into much detail on the cultural relevance of Madonna at her peak of 1989 - 1991) but will appeal to those of us who were in our teens to mid-20s at that time. From the BA tour to the release of TOD, Madonna was the center of the universe. Her PR at the time said she was giving the dancers an opportunity and it was up to them to exploit it after the tour. (This was never mentioned in the film but is my recollection.) Sadly, none have achieved what would be considered success in the material sense: most seem to live hand to mouth. If they had more maturity and some good guidance at the time, they may have developed careers of note - perhaps even judging DWTS and choreographing big names but mostly spiraled down and those that sued Madge? Well, let's just say she holds a grudge. This doc is a little sad, yet their impact at the time on some was significant. Ultimately, this will appeal more to those of us born in the 60s - mid-70s and does not have wide appeal. Yes, Madonna exploited them but in her world view she also gave them an opportunity.