I love this film! I went through a phase of watching it when I was about 8, then I forgot about it for six years. But the other day I was ill, and decided there was no better way to pass the time than to sit back, watch a film and think "All my friends are in Maths! Mwah ha ha!"
And I'm so glad I did! I'd totally forgotten what a good movie it is! And now I'm hooked again.
The story is about two ballroom dancers. The first is Scott Hastings (Paul Mercurio). Scott's been dancing since he was six, and is a champion, just like his mum Shirley and his coach Les were. Everyone thinks that it's going to be his year - everyone expects him and his partner Liz to win the Pan Pacific Grand Prix.
The other is Fran (Tara Morice). She's pretty clumsy and gawky, and you wouldn't expect her to be the dancy type, really. She's only been dancing for two years, and so she's just a beginner.
They only have one thing in common - they both prefer to make up their own steps than to dance someone elses.
The story begins when Scott shocks everyone from Barry Fife (the President of the Dance Federation) downwards by dancing his own "flashy, crowd-pleasing" steps at a competition.
Liz, his partner, declares she won't dance with him till he dances like he's supposed to, and pairs up with the drunken Ken Railings instead.
So Fran (who's obviously smitten with Scott) suggests she dance with him instead - and a first he laughs. But then she yells at him (in English and Spanish) and bursts into tears, so he agrees to give her one hour.
Fran's a lot better than he expects, however, and their sessions become regular. Soon Scott decides she's ready to try out for Les, and to compete in the Pan Pacifics.
But everyone and everything is getting in their way, and secrets from the past force Scott to decided where his loyalties lie...
The choreography in this film is fantastic, it's very well acted by the whole cast. There's a good soundtrack, with songs such as "Love Is In The Air" on it, and also a duet called "Time After Time" which Tara Morice (Fran) sings with Mark Williams.
I think all sorts of people, young or old, dancers or not, will enjoy it, and it's the sort of film you can watch again and again and not get bored of! 5 stars, it's brilliant!
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Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Giuseppe Tornatore - Original Language: Italian - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro, Luciano Federico, Matilde Piana
Advantages: Quirkiness, music, fabulous dancing Disadvantages: Perhaps you may find that the price of the Collector's Edition is not worth what you get.
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