Dancehall Queen

No fancy Hollywood production values, no special effects, not even the particularly outstanding acting grace Dancehall Queen. But the movie does have a great score - and I know nothing about reggae, wouldn't even call myself a fan. Add to that the fun of trying to make sense of the lilting Jamaican accent and you've got time well spent. The first few minutes I had no idea what anyone was saying. Somewhere along the line, and I didn't even notice transition, everyone's lines were coming through clear as a bell. It's a treat for the ears, and an interesting peek into the sometimes seamy, sometimes violent, sometimes charming life on the island.

Dancehall Queen is one of the best movies to come out of the Caribbean region that has become an underground classic; confirming that there are wonderful stories outside of the United States and Europe that are entertaining and have a universal appeal. Marcia is an ordinary street vendor who has ambitions and the hope to improve her life and that of her family. It is Cinderella with an island twist.

The nondescript woman goes through her daily existence scraping out a living in the ghetto. She is presented with the chance to earn a considerable amount of money on her own. She must transform into one of the dancehall queens, the colorful extroverted entertainers whose sensual moves are the pulse of the dancehall reggae scene. It appears that the garish outfits and wigs enable Marcia to hide behind her insecurities and she transforms into a seductress.

The film boasts a vicious character, Priest, that can rival any of the villains seen in the big budget Hollywood movies. The actor's portrayal of the rude boy is classic. The Jamaican dialect does not prevent you from enjoying a funny, entertaining film that that captures a slice of life not often seen. It embraces the cutting edge world of dancehall reggae sharing it with the entire world.

I was introduced to this film by a Jamaican friend who insisted I see the movie. It was a choice I was glad to have made. The story introduces us to normal, everyday people who are all well written and well acted. The storyline is about a woman who wants more for herself and wants more for her small family. Some people may have trouble with the language. I dont speak of the content of language but, the dialect. Some Jamaicans speak with the strong dialect known as "Patois" (pronounced pah-twah). This film is flavored with it. I did notice that at the start of Dancehall Queen, the language is difficult to understand but seemed to become much easier as the film progressed. Through the movie, we are exposed to some great Raggae music and some pretty intensive dance sequences. The setting and locales of the film are very scenic and adds character.The sub plots served to support an already strong story. I recommend this film to any fan of Caribbean or Jamaican culture.

This is a good story about how a person can rise up and make something of him/herself.

The backdrop of Jamaican culture is brought to life quite nicely and I very much like the cultural influence be it they are pretty subtle. Being from the Caribbean myself, I can very much identify with much of the non-western cultural issues which aren't in-your-face obvious, but are definitely there. It might be handy to turn on subtitles because the accent will be very hard to understand if you have not been into contact with the Jamaican dialect much. The acting is pretty good, with my personal favorite being that of Rude-boy :) Don't expect an extremely good or complex plot, but it is a nice movie to watch.

Moral of the movie: You can be or become anything or anyone if you have a spec of talent and put hard work into it. (Which basically is the embodiment of the American dream right?)

I have seen this film several times, as it gets surprisingly heavy rotation on cable television. Each time I catch it, I thoroughly enjoy it.

The story line is highly improbable, but it doesn't matter because the performances (acting and dancing) are top-drawer. It's a reminder that films about the ordinary struggles of common folk can be engaging without all the special effects that one finds in the Hollywood products of today.