Shall We Dance?

I saw the Japanese original film "Shall We Dance?" few years ago and I was charmed by its subtlety and delicacy. I did not plan to see the remake because I am not crazy about the remakes in general and I did not look forward to see Lopez or Gere in the movie together. When I finally saw the movie (my mom who's seen both films highly recommended the American version to me), I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

The cultural contrast of the Japanese film ceased to exist in the 2004 movie but there is still a lot to like in it. First of all, I love to watch good dancing and "Shall We Dance?" has plenty of it. Gere's and Lopez's dancing together has grace and passion, and it was a wonderful moment in the film.

Then, there are memorable and funny supporting characters that had screen time enough to become more than the lifeless shadows - Stanley Tucci (Link) and Lisa Ann Walter (Bobbie) for whom the ballroom dancing is the road to freedom, and happiness.

And the last but not the least, the movie is asking the question, how to make a man happy if he's got everything - the job he enjoys, the family he loves, his health, and good looks but something is missing? It would take more than any movie to answer the question but perhaps it would help one day just take a different road and open a new door?

In Chicago, the workaholic lawyer John Clark (Richard Gere) is feeling bored with his routine life, limited to work and stay at home with his wife Beverly Clark (Susan Sarandon) and his teenager's son and daughter. One night, while traveling home by train, he sees the beautiful face of Paulina (Jennifer Lopez) in the balcony of a dance school, and a couple of days later, he decides to visit the school and take dancing classes every Wednesdays. However, he becomes ashamed to tell his family his "little secret". Meanwhile, Beverly feels the changes in her happier husband, and hires a private eye to investigate whether John is having an affair.

"Shall We Dance?" is a delightful entertainment. It is pleasant to see a nice cast like the sexy Jennifer Lopez, the charming Richard Gere, the surprisingly great dancer Stanley Tucci, the funny Lisa Ann Walter, the wonderful Susan Sarandon and excellent support actors and actresses playing and dancing great music along 106 minutes. After watching this feel-good romance, the viewer will certainly feel lighter and relaxed. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Dança Comigo?" ("Dance With Me?")

Obs: On October 15th 2005, I saw the original "Shall We Dansu?", which is better and better than this remake.

I should start by admitting that it was quite a while ago (New Years Day 1997, to be exact) that I watched the Japanese original, 'Shall We Dansu' (which, incidentally, IS THE ORIGINAL; the Astaire/Rogers 1937 flick, which happens to have the same name, IS NOT). However, although I don't remember every single detail, the essential feelings as well as some of the vivid images still seem fresh in my mind, particularly the glittering performance of Koji Yakusyo and Tamiyo Kusakari.

The Hollywood remake, while not as good as the Japanese original, is at least passing grade, in capturing the essence of the film, 'a man seeking not so much a woman as an answer to his question. Why is she sad? What is she thinking' (Ebert, on 'Shall We Dansu', NOT 'Shall We Dance'), as well as everybody's passion for ballroom dancing.

Richard Gere continues to exude his charm on the female audience. Jennifer Lopez, following Maid in Manhattan, continues to get more comfortable with more matured roles. Oscar best actress (and 5 times nominee) Susan Sarandon is dependable as ever. I'm trying very hard to think of a movie in which I can't find Stanley Tucci and …… darn it, the more I watch the guy, the more I like him!

One of the worst things anyone can do is to try to tackle something that was made better. Hollywood doesn't seem to learn its lesson at all. In trying to "Americanize" the great Japanese film of the same name, the film makers had no idea what they were getting into. In fact, the original film, directed with great flair by Masoyuki Suo, loses all its charm with this reincarnation.

That said, this edition of "Shall we Dance" directed by Peter Chelsom, is not a horrible movie, but the freshness and subtleness of its Japanese model was lost in the translation. While the Japanese version was light and captivating, this adaptation is a bit heavy handed. The editing of the film has a lot to do with out enjoyment, and when the dance sequences in the competition are clumsily handled as it's the case here, one wonders what could the creators have been looking at?

The idea of seeing Richard Gere as the man who is intrigued by the dancing he sees as he passes the dance academy, is not as credible as one would have expected to be. Mr. Gere is versatile enough as he already showed with his role in "Chicago". The idea of his character pulling the wool over his wife Beverly's eyes doesn't come across as too credible. It seems to be a cultural difference that a Japanese wife might be less vocal and accepting a straying husband than in this country by an American wife. That's basically the fatal flaw with the movie, in our humble opinion.

Jennifer Lopez comes across better. As Paulina she shows a professional attitude toward her students, but her chemistry with Richard Gere doesn't create any sparks. Susan Sarandon, as Beverly, the wife who suspects her husband's betrayal, underplays her role with better results than some of her late screen appearances. Stanley Tucci's character is irritating, at best and Lisa Ann Walters does what she can with Bobbie.

Since you probably have seen this version, take a chance and rent the original Japanese film and compare.

The movie is nice, but the whole idea is so irritating... And the question the girl asks, why didn't you do this with mom... That's the whole thing.

He like many other men, do absolutely nothing after getting married, taking everything for granted while the wife works, cleans, cooks and takes care of the children.

And although they have much more spare time... They do nothing and then feel booored and in need of the good ol' fun times, doing the same thing Gere did, by jumping on another woman, that is care free.

And while his wife is tired and lonely and in need to be appreciated as a woman, he goes... Dancing with someone else because heeeey the oldie back home is not worth asking out... Oh boohoo poor married men....