TAKE THE LEAD

by Jane Louise Boursaw

Should you bring the kids? If they're 12 or older, and can handle mature issues. This movie contains references to drugs, gangs, prostitution, and violence, and there's also some profanity (namely, the a** and s*** words). But the overall theme of the movie is inspiring and shows that kids really CAN make a better life for themselves. For more info, see "Bringing the Kids" below.

THE STORY: Based on the real-life story of Pierre Dulaine, this movie stars Antonio Banderas as a Manhattan ballroom dance teacher whose life-mission is to teach troubled, inner-city kids that they DO have choices.

One night while riding his bicycle home from the dance studio, Dulaine witnesses a black student named Rock (Rob Brown) attacking a teacher's car with a golf club. Instead of calling the cops, Dulaine lets him walk. The next day, he visits the principal at the school, Augustine James (Alfre Woodard), and says he'd like to teach ballroom dancing to the detention class.

She practically laughs him out of the school and dismisses the idea that these rough kids will respond to ballroom dancing. James is a take-charge realist who strides down the hallways ordering students to take off their hats, pull up their pants, and keep their hands to themselves. But then she decides to give it a try, betting Dulaine $5 that he won't be back the second day.

The detention students, including Rock, are none too happy to have this ballroom freak in their class, but they change their tune when he shows up one day with a sexy dancer who does the tango with him. The steamy dance gets the kids' attention. Likewise, Dulaine is fascinated with their edgy hip-hop dance styles, and together, they create a whole new form of dance that incorporates both styles. 

THE WRAP-UP: Let's get real here. Banderas is pleasant to look at and plays the charming-but-tough dance instructor to the hilt. But I have to believe that most troubled inner-city kids would be much rougher than those portrayed in this movie. And sadly, I doubt that most would be doing their homework and trying to get ahead on their own initiative, as they do here. They would, however, probably be fighting off their prostitute-mother's clients, dodging punches from their alcoholic father, and fending off gang warfare, all of which is shown in this movie.

The plot is predictable, and you know the minute Dulaine steps foot in the school, he's going to boost the kids' self-esteem and give them a reason for living.  There's also the requisite city-wide dance competition, complete with debutantes who've been dancing for years. Sure enough, the detention kids who've only been dancing a short while, tie for first place, then go on to do a spontaneous,"Fame"-like number where everyone seems to know all the right moves. Hey, it's a movie, after all.

BRINGING THE KIDS:

PRESCHOOLERS (ages 2-5): The themes, language and violence are not appropriate for preschoolers.

GRADE-SCHOOLERS (ages 6 - 10): As with preschoolers, this movie is too intense for grade-schoolers. Plotlines deal with peer pressure, broken homes, and drugs. Coming from rough backgrounds, the characters use profanities, face difficult issues (selling stolen goods, parents eking out a living with prostitution), and find themselves in dangerous situations. A better movie for this age group is "Mad, Hot Ballroom," a sweet documentary about ballroom dancing programs in NYC's public schools.

SCORE: 3 out of 4 Reels.

Jane's Reel Rating System:
One Reel: Pathetic. Even The Force can’t save it.
Two Reels: Tolerable. Coulda been a contender.
Three Reels: Thought-provoking. Something to talk about.
Four Reels: Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.

E-chat with me at jane@reellifewithjane.com - I LOVE to talk about movies!

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