Musical Chairs

I had never heard of wheelchair dancing, but thanks to this film, I now follow these artists and athletes with great joy. I loved the film, loved the characters, enjoyed some belly laughs and came away with a bigger view of the world. The theme of tolerance and acceptance resounded with both audiences with whom I saw this film, at both the Cinema Society of San Diego, then again at the Young Leaders Film Festival at the La Jolla Country Day School in San Diego. The film was received with enthusiasm by both groups, comprised of people from teenagers to senior citizens. At the Young Leaders Film Festival, the filmmaker made a special appearance and captivated the crowd. I hope she will continue to pursue such quality projects.

I fully enjoyed this movie. It is especially uplifting during the holidays which can be a rough emotional time for many. This story gives us some perspective on how hard life can be for many. Although this beautiful love story encounters elements of tragedy, the plot is realistic with a current NYC feel. The actors face adversity and push on as it leaves you with a positive feeling and helps you to remember that in life, as Armando's father says "when you are old...its the struggles you miss the most". I always enjoyed watching dance movies. I have two left feet and perhaps can aspire to live vicariously through others that dance well. I promise you will enjoy your two hour investment of time. There is a little something in this movie for everyone. The cinematography was great and music stimulating. The storyline and plot was constantly moving and I was left wanting more. Great performances by the actors especially a personal favorite of mine, Laverne Cox.

This is a movie from which you will learn something about people and about the heart. It is about music and it is about dance . It is about what can happen when a person suddenly finds him or herself in a wheel chair for the rest of their life. Director Susan Seidelman (Desperately Seeking Susan ) takes a screenplay by Marty Madden and somehow does a perfect casting job starting off with E.J Bonilla, a young actor who plays Armando with a flair for music, dance and the ability to project his intensity and his sincerity when he encounters Mia (Leah Pipes) a beautiful young dancer before and after her tragic accident. The story flows as smoothly as the music and the dance of this film. Most of the rest of the engaging cast is this young man's New York Puerto Rican second generation family who owns a restaurant and especially his mother (Pricilla Lopez) who has to struggle with her aspirations for her son and her realization of his love for his new girlfriend. The other group of extraordinary colorful players in this film are the people in wheelchairs who find that they can express themselves in dance. In reality only one of the actors, Auti Angel, who plays Nicky is actually confined to a wheel chair. She was a promising professional dancer who has a true story that is not too far from the plot of this movie. Behind the scenes we understand that she assisted and inspired the actors in wheelchairs to take on their personas. We view this movie as fairy tales where things happen and people say and do things not quite the way they may happen in real life. It reminds us of a musical where it can be convenient to suddenly find a place to sing (or in this case a hospital gym at night to dance in a special way). The characters and some of the dialog are somewhat clichéd. This doesn't seem to really matter because the emotion and the message of the movie is very real. We think everyone should be able to relate to this film and learn something about the human spirit. We also think that it has the potential to live on by teaching young people in schools and be an inspiration for the thousands of people every year who find themselves in a place they never thought they would be. Part of the storyline of the movie is a dance contest being held in New York labeled "The First International Wheelchair Dance Competition" In reality, while wheelchair dancing is big in Europe it hasn't quite caught on in the USA. It would not surprise us if after this film is released and gets around we will see this event in some major city. That is part of the great potential of this movie. FilmRap.net

I saw this film at the Woodstock Film Festival. Before I saw it, the whole premise of the movie sounded rather implausible to make a great film. But the director, Susan Seidelman surprises you every steps of the way. The amazing ensemble cast and funny jokes keep you entertained. And the film has some of the best dancing scenes in the recent years. I am not going to spoil it here, but you'll be surprised! The main character Armando, played by E.J.Bonilla is not only a great actor, but he has a charisma that carries the film. It's a story that could be easily turned into a soap opera, but Musical Chairs avoids every sentimentality and still keeps it emotional. In the end, the film is very uplifting. A beautiful film!

This film's plot doesn't stray far from the rom-com bible but it does the genre proud. It's also packed full of wonderful characters who breath lots of life into a solid script.

This is a great date movie or would be fantastic on a rainy Sunday afternoon. It's like a good meal with a funny friend - familiar without being at all boring. And, yes, it has a message but it's not a "message movie." The filmmakers obviously set out to entertain and they do a great job of it.

The cast is fun and very good looking. And several of the characters are fresh and new, particularly Chantelle (Laverne Cox) who steals several scenes. EJ Bonilla is fantastic as the lead and does a wonderful love- sick puppy face (without ever over doing it).

Overall, a really enjoyable film that leaves you wanting to know what is next for these characters - as any good film should.