Dancehall Queen

No fancy Hollywood production values, no special effects, not even the particularly outstanding acting grace Dancehall Queen. But the movie does have a great score - and I know nothing about reggae, wouldn't even call myself a fan. Add to that the fun of trying to make sense of the lilting Jamaican accent and you've got time well spent. The first few minutes I had no idea what anyone was saying. Somewhere along the line, and I didn't even notice transition, everyone's lines were coming through clear as a bell. It's a treat for the ears, and an interesting peek into the sometimes seamy, sometimes violent, sometimes charming life on the island.

I was introduced to this film by a Jamaican friend who insisted I see the movie. It was a choice I was glad to have made. The story introduces us to normal, everyday people who are all well written and well acted. The storyline is about a woman who wants more for herself and wants more for her small family. Some people may have trouble with the language. I dont speak of the content of language but, the dialect. Some Jamaicans speak with the strong dialect known as "Patois" (pronounced pah-twah). This film is flavored with it. I did notice that at the start of Dancehall Queen, the language is difficult to understand but seemed to become much easier as the film progressed. Through the movie, we are exposed to some great Raggae music and some pretty intensive dance sequences. The setting and locales of the film are very scenic and adds character.The sub plots served to support an already strong story. I recommend this film to any fan of Caribbean or Jamaican culture.

This is a good story about how a person can rise up and make something of him/herself.

The backdrop of Jamaican culture is brought to life quite nicely and I very much like the cultural influence be it they are pretty subtle. Being from the Caribbean myself, I can very much identify with much of the non-western cultural issues which aren't in-your-face obvious, but are definitely there. It might be handy to turn on subtitles because the accent will be very hard to understand if you have not been into contact with the Jamaican dialect much. The acting is pretty good, with my personal favorite being that of Rude-boy :) Don't expect an extremely good or complex plot, but it is a nice movie to watch.

Moral of the movie: You can be or become anything or anyone if you have a spec of talent and put hard work into it. (Which basically is the embodiment of the American dream right?)

I think the movie showed a side of Jamaica that often goes unnoticed in the tourism adds. I really liked Marcia, there was something real about her character. I also enjoyed the daughter, Tanya. She had spunk, and was a little more understandable.Paul Campbel is excellent in his role as Priest. The dialect was fun for me.. and if you watched the film on DVD you could use the subtitles as Jamaican Patios 101 (smile). The story is real however. I find that majority of the Jamaicans i meet who are working class or from a less affluent side of town love the film...The same doesn't always hold true from others though. Well if you want to be entertained...i think this is a very very entertaining movie and it showcases the darker side of Jamaica...while taking you into the "real dancehall".A definite must see

I watched Dance Hall Queen back when i was a little girl living in Florida, and it gets a lot easier to understand the accents the more you watch it. I recently watched it again and the message to women to be strong and sexy and standing your ground was still there even more now that I'm a 24 year old mother. If you love foreign, Indy type Genres, then you will love the quirkiness of the characters, and settings and hate the stone hearts of the villains.I found myself each time cheering for the Main character, and I love her transformation from hobo looking street vendor, to sexy, dazzling beauty. I also liked seeing a women who had her own even if it was just a little to some, and got more herself.