Bootmen

i actually liked the movie a lot. i happened to see it one day on IFC, and enjoyed it so much i made my Australia native fiancé watch it after he said everyone he knew that saw it back when it came out said it was crap. i thought it was very predictable...but cute still. All those little tap dancing Aussie all cute and tapping for a cause. All the drama, dead mom, dead brother, pregnant semi-girlfriend by brother, dad against his tapping, and a cynical instructor. i enjoyed it very much and would watch it again if i were to see it on. I think the idea behind the movie was very original...very funny at times. I particularly enjoyed comments about "poofters" and "root".

Most of the negative comments about this film seem to come from its birth place, Australia. Frankly, "Bootmen" is not a horrible movie by any stretch of the imagination. The film shows some originality in the way the director Dein Perry sets the film in the steel works factory that is about to close and having Sean and his mates practice in another abandoned place that seems to be saying a lot about how industries do away with people that have given their best to make them better.

Adam Garcia, playing Sean, is one of the best things in the film. The other asset is Sam Worthington, who plays Mitch, the brother that seems to attract trouble wherever he goes. Also, Sophie Lee, as the brothers' love interest makes an effective contribution to the movie.

The dancing numbers reminded us of Stomp, the musical that has been playing here for a long time now, in that unusual ways of tap dancing are practiced on the most unconventional ways, which makes "Bootmen" more likable.

The best way to watch the film is to sit back, relax, and let it unfold, as it will win the viewer over with the inspired tap dancing.

Well, I've just seen Bootmen a second time, and let me say that its even better second time round! Seeing it twice really gives you the opportunity to focus on the stuff you missed out the first time. For example, I was looking at the smaller details instead of all the same stuff as the first time. I've just read my first review thing and I realised I said that dancing at the beginning was not so spectacular. I'm an idiot! I meant to say the acting! The acting wasnt so hot at the beginning but quickly picks up towards the middle. Again, the dancing was awesome, the actors were awesome and Adam Garcia is definitely beyond awesome! I love the man's hair! And I just realised that it is Dein Perry himself as that Anthony guy at that dance show in Sydney that Sean gets into. Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!

The concept is good - to try to capture the style of the "Tap Dogs" and turn it into a feature film.

Sadly, the transition to the big screen was not entirely successful. In order to reach the big tap finale, we had to wade through an hour and a half of paper thin plot - nice guy fails to make it in the big city, father-son conflict, brother-brother conflict and small scale organized crime racket.

The quality of the acting left a bit to be desired (this is to be expected as the guys were selected for their tap ability, rather than their acting pedigree), and Sophie Lee was ... well, Sophie Lee (I'm yet to be convinced that she is an actor).

The bleak industrial landscape and cinematography were quite good, as were the actors in the small supporting roles.

So when push comes to shove - was the final tap spectacular worth sitting through the movie? Sure was, it's just a shame there wasn't a bit more of it.

What else can I say but wow! I thought the story was really good, not at all unbelievable. I loved the whole brother thing with Sean and Mitch, they were so typically Australian! Go the flannelettes! I was really there for the dancing (and Adam Garcia) and it took a while to get there, but i loved it when he dropped the hammer at the steelworks and heard the sound and as they say, the rest is history! It was awesome when they started putting the show together, there was so much energy! And when "that thing" happened with Mitch, that was really sad and I thought it was cool that Sean kept going with the Bootmen thing. Ok, the dancing... Once again...wow! I can't believe how good they were! When they started doing the more macho dancing I was totally covered in goosebumps! And the sound of the taps on metal! It was brilliant! The energy coming out of those dance scenes was overwhelming! So 10/10 on the dancing easy! Adam Garcia... What can I say, the man's a legend! Not only is he absolutely, totally, indescribably hot! but he's an awesome (and I mean AWESOME!) dancer! I'll have him over the guy from Riverdance any day! This is the first movie I have seen with Adam in it and I hope it won't be the last! In case I haven't made my thoughts on Adam clear, here it is nice and simple... HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT!

So an easy 10/10 for the totally delicious (and talented of course) Adam Garcia! The only tiny thing that brought it down was the not-so-spectacular dancing at the beginning, but that got better half way through. But I'd rather have dancing than dialogue! In short (ha!), brilliant movie, great dancing, great actors, great body (thank you Adam!) and enough energy to blow the roof off! I wanna see it again! (and again and again and again...)