Love N' Dancing

I'm anticipating the release of this film so friends can enjoy it as much as I did.

I had the pleasure of viewing it at the Phoenix Film Festival and the house was packed. To our surprise Mr Zane and Mr Malloy along with other cast members flew in for the screening. We've all seen these types of films before, but they never cease to keep us in our seats. This film focusing on West Coast Swing dancing competition and a dancer with a hearing disability, Wow! The film is inspirational to say the least and showcased many brilliant dancers.

It was clearly evident that the film was a big hit with the ovation given at the conclusion of the film.

I would also like to make note of the cast staying around for close to an hour after the film answering various questions on this film, independent films in general, and how to get into the business.

If you're looking for a feel good movie with great music, acting, and dancing, don't miss it.

... and I dance East Coast Swing, a simplified take on Lindy Hop, which is the real thing (West Coast borrows a few moves from East Coast/Lindy and blues dance but is actually too Hollywood in its choreography and too close to the Hustle -- FEH!), so of course the dancing fell short for me. Real swing is what you dance to Count Basie, Duke Ellington, or Benny Goodman, or even contemporary big bands. My saying so will no doubt steam the West Coast fans in the audience, but hey, dance history is what it is (look up Frankie Manning and Hellzapoppin' on Wikipedia if you want to know where it all came from). Besides, the dance scenes would have fallen short anyway, for reasons cited below. But I digress.

I started off really wanting to like this movie. Honest. After all, I found the male lead appealing at first, and I'd enjoyed other dance films such as Strictly Ballroom, Center Stage, Take The Lead, and Tango Bar (I even tolerated Shall We Dance fairly well, given my usually complete disdain for Richard Gere). But no: the non-dance part of this storyline was so weak it made me cringe. OFTEN. Billy Zane was slightly less obnoxious than usual, so that was something, but not enough to offset the fact that Amy Smart seemed to be sleepwalking through the whole thing. The writing was awful. Their fight scene at home, for example, seemed sudden and oh, so contrived. So did the upset at their friends' wedding. Fake, fake, fake. You could see the consequences telegraphed a mile away. And the dance competition was even **more** Hollywood over-the-top than West Coast usually is. Mehhh. They learned ALL the wrong things from ballroom competitions.

Worst of all, Amy Smart never looked like she was really getting the hang of the sense of elasticity or stretch that underlies all variations of swing -- or that she was enjoying any of it, even a little bit. If you hate dancing that much, why do a dance movie?? Don't tell me she really liked it, because you sure couldn't tell from her performance in this film. I could barely sit through it. The actual dancing by others, however, like some ballroom competitions I've seen, was expert yet mechanical. Soulless despite all the plastic smiles, sequins, and flash moves. Wasn't **anybody** really getting into it? It's like they were still showing off but all just too cool to really show they like it. Nuts!!! I've seen much more fun and energy generated by amateurs at Lindy competitions on college campuses than I saw anywhere in this film. And I kept wanting to see real Lindy Hop, so that spoiled the rest of it for me.

If you want an introduction to WCS, I suppose this is as good as any; but if you were hoping for another Swing Kids (despite its inauthentic choreography) or Take The Lead, sit this one out -- it's not your kind of number, and it doesn't even have anyone like Antonio Banderas to save it. And Lindyhoppers should avoid it entirely. (It'll just annoy you too much. Better your should watch Frankie Manning clips on YouTube or video reruns from the Frankie 95 celebration. I'm just saying.)

PS -- I just noticed that Tom Molloy, the lead, also wrote the script. He has a lot to answer for, in that case.

forget the story (this kind of plot was filmed a thousand times before), forget the dancing (those who watch the movie because of it will judge by different parameters than I do), forget the lame camera-work and generic music - this is about dialogue and acting! I am actually thinking, the whole film is a parody about how special interest movies are made. the guy is deaf, but a dancer. so far so good. his former girlfriend is trying to win him back in a hilariously overacted 40's-femme-fatale-manner, while both of them look as imbecile as it gets. amy smart is admittedly a much nicer sight, but she peaks the top of her acting abilities with her performance of a stressed teacher (the students seem nice though, albeit a bit bored, which is understandable) having kind of an inner outbreak in the classroom, screaming and nearly dancing at the same time. I nearly fell off the sofa at that point. and when she came into the club, saying "wow, I can feel the energy!", I actually did. billy zane's stammering and overacting was also annoying and entertaining at the same time; like everybody else he was obviously left totally on his own (and to the unwillingly funny script) by the director, who seemed to have put all his efforts into the dancing scenes, and left the rest of the movie to his friends and family. not a very wise decision, if you ask me. so: one star for the dancing, one for the funny moments (if not on purpose), and one for the chuzpe to call this thing a movie. three altogether, and that's more than fair.

Robert Iscove's "Love N' Dancing" chronicles the romance between an attractive middle school teacher and a deaf dance instructor she meets at a school assembly. The trouble is that Jessica (Amy Smart) is already engaged to a workaholic (a bald Billy Zane) who's always on his cell phone, while Jake (played by screenwriter Tom Malloy), who holds the title of World West Coast Swing Champion, is still carrying the torch for a former flame who has already moved onto a new love interest and dance partner.

A paint-by-numbers romantic comedy, "Love N' Dancing" has moments of undeniable charm - in its early stages at least - but the triteness of the plotting, the uncharismatic performances, the motley secondary characters (Rachel Dratch and Bette White make brief appearances), and the surfeit of implausibilities wind up taking their toll in the end.

The dancing is cool, though.

As well, Tom Malloy is the best thing in this movie. I am giving an entrance with references which you must know, yeah, regular chick flick movie- feel-good movie plus dancing which is my favorite, musical-chick flick. I appreciate but I can't say it is hilarious; Strictly Ballroom- Buz made it in 90's with a great success. "Brave new steps put Scott's career in jeopardy. With a new partner and determination, can he still succeed?" That is why we love "The Cutting Edge", buddy. Mr Malloy stole my heart! Amy Smart, you are still my "Butterfly Effect":) I warn you that I may be one of those critics but still full of emotions!; it reminded me that honesty. I'm looking forward for your next movies Malloy, surprise me!