The Tango Lesson - Uma Lição de Tango

The British filmmaker and screenwriter Sally (Sally Potter) is in Paris writing the story of models that are murdered by a serial-killer. When she sees a performance of the Argentinean tango dance Pablo (Pablo Verón), she asks Pablo to give tango lessons to her. She becomes obsessed by the dance, dancing with Pablo. Then she travels to Hollywood to have a meeting with producers that want to make her movie, but she gives up on her project. She decides to make a movie about tango casting Pablo in exchange of their partnership in the dance.

"The Tango Lesson" is a little movie apparently biographical of Sally Potter for fans of dance in general and particularly the tango. The romance is developed in slow pace and practically nothing happens but good dances. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "The Tango Lesson - Uma Lição de Tango" ("The Tango Lesson – A Tango Lesson")

The dancing alone, in this film is enough to make up for what's lacking in this film...pablo veron maybe a incredible tango dancer, but in this film, his attitude towards everything else can only be summoned in one word:The Male Ego.... he is insecure, and his relationship with sally is one of the most unfinished one i've ever seen, or heard about!..but as i said before..the tango makes up for everything else..makes me feel like hopping over to the nearest studio, offering tango lessons!

Care to dance? Sally Potter, film director ("Orlando"), did, and fell in love with the Tango and Pablo Veron, one of its authentic Argentinian exponents. Pablo is a pretty sexy guy, and a bit younger than Sally, but by the end she's leading and he's following.(I'm not sure whether they actually get to do the horizontal tango.) In between we learn with Sally the intricacies of the dance as an expression of culture as well as personal affinity. There's not much of a story (a year in the life of an original and talented art film maker)but the Paris and especially Buenos Aires settings are evocative - the latter seems frozen in the 40s, when the economic tide went out for Argentina. No, the dance is the thing. Remember Zorba? "A Greek man dances for his soul." Sally dances like a moth drawn to a candle, but wears asbestos underwear and gets an interesting movie out of it. The black and white photography is luminous and completely appropriate, and the soundtrack a treasure trove of Tangos. Recommended for those interested in "romance" ie vertical and horizontal tangos though as I said the latter is merely hinted at. Not a film for people who want a compelling story.

I have read a lot of commentary on this film. Then I went to the director's website (Sally Potter) and I read her comments.

I was so into this movie. It started out slowly and I wasn't sure if I was going to stick with it. But as it went on, I was totally drawn in. I love the fact that the director chose to film it in black and white which only added to the artistry of it. I loved the fact that she as the director, and making it autobiographical, allowed us (the audience) a peek into her creative process. I also love the fact that she courageously placed herself into the hands of another artist to learn the tango. I was impressed when I read that Sally Potter had a background as a dancer so it came naturally to her to appreciate and learn the tango.

This movie impressed me on many levels because as a creative talent it takes courage to cross over into the world of another artistic discipline (how easily could a dancer cross over into the world of a film director? you see my point). Or maybe that's not a fair comparison. But to me its literally a case of walking a mile in another man's shoes. Perhaps we find it easy to stand on the sidelines and criticize the work of an artist (be it an actor, director, dancer, writer, etc.) but is it hard to come up with creative visions? Not bloody likely.

I viewed this film as a metaphor for life, relationships, artistry, etc. all of which had parallels in the film. If this sounds too deep, it is, believe me! I saw all of this and more in this film.

It also felt as if Sally Potter is going through an autobiographical and artistic midlife crisis in this film which has given me courage to put myself on the line autobiographically and artistically. There was some criticism that she should have cast someone else in the title role, but when you can't see anyone playing yourself, but yourself, how can you answer even this kind of criticism?

Bravo Sally! I appreciated the peek you gave the audience into your creative process.

this is a wonderful film - for tango lovers as well as for people who like to ponder about life.

if you are looking for a movie with pretty girls, short skirts, and guns, you will be asleep before the first five minutes are over.

While the tango moves and general dance moves are great, what's really unique about this film is the commentary it makes about life and the power dynamics of relationships between men and women.

It also makes commentary on the film industry and what it means to be an artist in this day and age.

While it's true that Sally Potter is not a 21-year-old leggy blonde, she looks damn good at her age (I wish I had her body) and she is a very good actress. Pablito Veron also does a good job playing an arrogant ass. His dancing is awesome. Casting Pablo with a spring chicken as some have hinted, would have ruined the film all together.

Go Sally - make more of these films; I'd love to see your other commentary.