Razzle Dazzle: A Journey Into Dance

What a terrific movie. An Aussie success. Kerry Armstrong deserves the highest accolades as do all the kids doing the dancing. Mister Jonathan may not get the top prize but he gets points for showing the audience that dance is not always a love story but can be used to convey the darker side of world issues. Passion is messy and cringing sometimes but the director and writers handle the edge between drive and madness with soft eyes.

Sydney film locations included a historic building in Parramatta and Justine's home in Northwest of Sydney. Unexpected bonus: Imagine my delight when I recognized Justine's home as one designed by friends - Indigo and Ochre, Architects based in Sydney. The slightly over the top house matched Justine's character perfectly.

This movie is definitely one of the best Australian movies in recent times. Kerry Armstrong's character of Justine will go down in Australian cinema history as one of the most memorable characters of all time, right up there with Babe, Picnic at Hanging Rock's Miranda, Mick Dundee, the drag queens from Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and Darryl Kerrigan. It is fantastic to see a good Australian comedy for a change, and even if this is not a box office smash, it will become one of those Australian movies which Australians love.

It is a perfect example of a great Aussie parody. It examines, in a humorous way, stage mothers at their worst. Everyone will love the antics of Justine and the other stage parents as they push their children to the limit.

This is one of those must watch movies that everyone should see!!!!

What a great little film....This won't win Oscars or any other film award, but it will make you chuckle at the characters some of whom we all know in real life. What parent hasn't had the (mis)fortune to be part of ballet classes, whether it be classical, modern, tap or contemporary. Every week the little darlings don their leotards and ballet shoes and go along and join their other little friends and teacher Miss Denise (an ageing, usually overweight woman who shouldn't really wear a body hugging anything, but does. Every week she puts the kiddies through their steps, until the dreaded "End of year Dance Extravaganza" arrives. Parents fork out a lot of money to put their kids through dance class, then more money on costumes, buying the DVD, buying the music etc...all for 3 minutes on stage. This movie looks at it all, with hilarious consequences. Starring some of the best performers in Australian theatre, TV, cabaret and movies. A must see....it's awesome!!!!!

I watched Razzle Dazzle today not knowing much about it before hand, and therefore not having any great expectations. I love a good mockumentary, and if I had to compare it to any other, I would say it was in the same vein as "Drop Dead Gorgeous". But of course it had that Australian flavour to it which therefore meant the characters were a bit more relatable for me. Kerry Armstrong was wonderful as a pushy stage mother. This role could easily have gone into cliché but Kerry is such a good actress that she manages to get you to almost (only almost) fully understand her motives. Of course her daughter Tenille doesn't need to be pushed too hard, she wants it just as much. In contrast to Justine and Tenille, Nadine Garner's character of young Grace's mother is more of an interested outsider. She encourages her daughter, but it is Grace who is much more motivated and has the desire. The characters of Mr Jonothan and Miss Elizabeth are also complete contrasts - one is nurturing, the other a harsh task master. Miss Elizabeth also has the best cat's bum face I've ever seen. Denise Richards as Barbara the serial foster mother is a riot, while I didn't even recognise Tara Morice until the credits... but I did enjoy her rendition of "Gold".

Overall, the film was gently over the top, which I feel is the point of mockumentaries, while simultaneously making us feel for the characters. Razzle Dazzle is well written and very well acted. Good job.

Few is the correct adjective which describes my viewing and experience with mockumentaries. Next in line is the fact that you don't get too many highly acclaimed Australian movies which literally dazzle all us couch-spectators. Such were the facts, experiences up my sleeve with this section of flicks, which propelled my mindset into the "must-see" mode. And there I was, curiously seated in front of the big screen.

In a matter of a few minutes, it was apparent that the movie was so cleverly pre-wired to drag us into the sea of illusion that we were dealing with actual facts and figures that go behind the scenes in the Australian dance hype. It was only because of my high alert mode, that I kept on reminding myself that this was not real....only FICTION! For starters, this flick smacks of the determination, both mutual and individual, which the key characters subject themselves to, in order to play a role in the everyday competition saga which, it goes without saying, regularly repeats itself. Three categories of key-players in this game: the teachers, the students, and the parents, warrant themselves a lot of merit. For instance, not only do the children get on board, but their parents, pro-actively, push them towards the dance floor. It's an amazing game of desperation, commitment,effort by all parties involved.

An eye-catching performance which steals the majority of the show is Mr. Jonathan. Crude? Clandestine? Do or die? Or determination verging on hysteria? Amazing how he tries to mold the mindset of his students in the bud, by asking them to imagine all sorts of shocking/horrific scenes, and making them fill in the action/reaction gaps through their dance steps.

Good job Darren Ashton. We need more from you coming. And thanks for spicing up the scenes with such great tracks!