Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 103 Minutes
Year: 2005
Boobs: Zero
One Sentence: It's like a dancing movie, but interesting and worth watching.
I don't even know where she found this movie. I have never even heard of it, didn't know it existed, and was really scared when she told me the name. Which I will try to write as little as possible in this review. She likes dance movies. I am ok with SOME dance movies, but they have to be good, sexy and not cheesy. I do not seek out dance movies, she does. So in my commitment to ever expand the film's I watch and you get to hear about, without further ado… Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School.
This movie I have found out was a short film made in 1990, by the writer/director. Who later added the rest of the story on and made a feature. Any flashback scene, was part of that short film. It wasn't a reshoot of the short film from 1990, they actually took that old footage, and added another story on top of it, and made it all work. Reading about that today, makes me appreciate this movie just a little bit more.
This movie is one of those ensemble movies where everything is executed perfectly, and the story, while sad in some parts, makes you want to go out and take ballroom dancing lessons. The writer tells us a story that deals with death and life, while being quarky and cute all at once. Giving us great performances by people like John Goodman, Donnie Wahlberg and Mary Steenburgen, it travels across 4 decades without feeling dated, slow, or boring. In no way did I feel this movie was cheesy, silly, lame, or a stupid dance movie that never should of been made. Quite the contrary. I thought it was an excellent film and a quality girl rental where you make your man watch it with you. It is not the perfect date movie as it deals with some sad issues, but it is quality stuff, and will make for a romantic movie.
