"Take the Lead" (2006)
Directed By: Liz Friedlander
Starring: Antonio Banderas, Alfre Woodard, Yaya DaCosta, Rob Brown, Jenna Dewan, & Dante Basco
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (for thematic material, language and some violence)
Upon seeing the trailer for "Take the Lead", I like most everyone else thought it looked like just another clichéd mess. But, against my better judgment, I caught it in theaters. Now, I am glad that I did. "Take the Lead" is a massive achievement a movie that takes its clichéd storyline and transcends it, making for a fresh and entertaining film. It is a film that places much of its weight upon up-beat dance moves and loud, thumping music, instead of an original plot. The rest of its weight falls directly onto Antonio Banderas, the smooth-speaking Spanish actor who can make lines such as "I understand six languages and I speak five--all with a Spanish accent," sound like sexual invitations. Women love him and men well, men only wish they could be him. He exudes confidence and sensuality, making all ladies, including my mother, swoon. It is this type of performance that allows "Take the Lead" to transcend its genre and become something far more than usual. I often found myself wondering if "Take the Lead" succeeded because it was good or if it succeeded because Banderas simply felt that it should and had seduced me and all of the other audience members into believing that it should as well. He seems desperately connected to the viewers drawing them in with his intense stare and his amazing rhythm. It is this chemistry that makes "Take the Lead" so wonderful.
Pierre Dulaine (Banderas), a ballroom dance instructor, who accidentally meets a troubled high school student named Rock (Brown) who is in the process of destroying his principal's car. Seeing this, Dulaine decides to try and help out with the local inner-city school where Rock goes. Principal Augustine James (Woodard) gives him the duty of watching over detention. However, this is not just detention hall. This is extended detention. The students, including Rock, will be there for the remainder of the school year. Dulaine decides to teach them all how to ballroom dance--something that they, of course, initially find to be pointless. They prefer hip-hop and rap, rather than classical music, and see no use in learning to dance when their families are starving and just surviving out on the streets is a twenty-four hour job. But, as Dulaine begins to blend his type of dance with the dance styles of the teens, they soon realize that sometimes just surviving isn't enough and winning isn't always important. Sometimes, merely making a difference in their own lives, in their attitudes, and in the attitudes of those who never believed in them, is enough. As they begin to develop emotionally, they prepare for a major dancing competition against some very talented dancers--Dulaine's professional students.
Things are not flawless, however, with "Take the Lead". The biggest problem is its ultimately clichéd plot. The tagline for this movie reads "Never Follow". Unfortunately, the movie does not follow its own advice. It hits so many of the Hollywood clichés that it can easily be mistaken for many other movies. This is unfortunate, as this film is far superior to all of the other mediocre movies that use the same clichés. On top of that, the ending is far too happy for my liking. Sure, Rock makes it to the competition in time and dances with his partner, LaRhette (DaCosta), all night long, but he is still out on the street with a deadly gang on his trail. Another problem with the ending is the relationship between Dulaine and his assistant, Tina (Laura Benanti). The idea that Tina loves him is barely hinted at throughout the film, though it is clear. At the end, however, it seems as though their romance just happens. Dulaine never, to my knowledge, seemed to actually show that he had feelings for Tina, yet, at the end, he leaves with her. This relationship was ultimately underdeveloped and seemed more like an afterthought rather than a planned occurrence. The good outweighed the bad, fortunately, and most of these problems can be ignored.
The performances in "Take the Lead" are actually very nicely-done, with Antonio Banderas being the highlight. Like I have said, he is deeply sexy and that definitely shows on screen. Yet, he also seems to showcase maturity and responsibility. He blends these two aspects seamlessly. Alfre Woodard also hits an amazing high note, embracing her character well. I found her to be completely convincing. The teens all do their jobs and do them well, allowing us to believe in them. These are some of the very few teens in Hollywood movies that actually act like teens. They do not fit the typical stereotypes. During the exciting finale of this film, I found myself wanting to jump up and dance. That is the sign of a good dance film. It drew me in, making me actually want to go out and sign up for a ballroom dancing course. It's an inspirational film that delivers exactly what it promises and so much more. All in all, I enjoyed it. Is it clichéd? Yes. Is it predictable? Definitely. But, is it more fun than a barrel of monkeys? You better believe it. If you haven't seen it yet, then go out, this weekend, and invite a lot of friends over and watch the movie. I assure you that you will have tons of fun.
Final Thought: Though it is ultimately clichéd, it is far better than most movies of its genre.
Overall Rating: 7/10 (B+)
Directed By: Liz Friedlander
Starring: Antonio Banderas, Alfre Woodard, Yaya DaCosta, Rob Brown, Jenna Dewan, & Dante Basco
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (for thematic material, language and some violence)
Upon seeing the trailer for "Take the Lead", I like most everyone else thought it looked like just another clichéd mess. But, against my better judgment, I caught it in theaters. Now, I am glad that I did. "Take the Lead" is a massive achievement a movie that takes its clichéd storyline and transcends it, making for a fresh and entertaining film. It is a film that places much of its weight upon up-beat dance moves and loud, thumping music, instead of an original plot. The rest of its weight falls directly onto Antonio Banderas, the smooth-speaking Spanish actor who can make lines such as "I understand six languages and I speak five--all with a Spanish accent," sound like sexual invitations. Women love him and men well, men only wish they could be him. He exudes confidence and sensuality, making all ladies, including my mother, swoon. It is this type of performance that allows "Take the Lead" to transcend its genre and become something far more than usual. I often found myself wondering if "Take the Lead" succeeded because it was good or if it succeeded because Banderas simply felt that it should and had seduced me and all of the other audience members into believing that it should as well. He seems desperately connected to the viewers drawing them in with his intense stare and his amazing rhythm. It is this chemistry that makes "Take the Lead" so wonderful.
Pierre Dulaine (Banderas), a ballroom dance instructor, who accidentally meets a troubled high school student named Rock (Brown) who is in the process of destroying his principal's car. Seeing this, Dulaine decides to try and help out with the local inner-city school where Rock goes. Principal Augustine James (Woodard) gives him the duty of watching over detention. However, this is not just detention hall. This is extended detention. The students, including Rock, will be there for the remainder of the school year. Dulaine decides to teach them all how to ballroom dance--something that they, of course, initially find to be pointless. They prefer hip-hop and rap, rather than classical music, and see no use in learning to dance when their families are starving and just surviving out on the streets is a twenty-four hour job. But, as Dulaine begins to blend his type of dance with the dance styles of the teens, they soon realize that sometimes just surviving isn't enough and winning isn't always important. Sometimes, merely making a difference in their own lives, in their attitudes, and in the attitudes of those who never believed in them, is enough. As they begin to develop emotionally, they prepare for a major dancing competition against some very talented dancers--Dulaine's professional students.
Things are not flawless, however, with "Take the Lead". The biggest problem is its ultimately clichéd plot. The tagline for this movie reads "Never Follow". Unfortunately, the movie does not follow its own advice. It hits so many of the Hollywood clichés that it can easily be mistaken for many other movies. This is unfortunate, as this film is far superior to all of the other mediocre movies that use the same clichés. On top of that, the ending is far too happy for my liking. Sure, Rock makes it to the competition in time and dances with his partner, LaRhette (DaCosta), all night long, but he is still out on the street with a deadly gang on his trail. Another problem with the ending is the relationship between Dulaine and his assistant, Tina (Laura Benanti). The idea that Tina loves him is barely hinted at throughout the film, though it is clear. At the end, however, it seems as though their romance just happens. Dulaine never, to my knowledge, seemed to actually show that he had feelings for Tina, yet, at the end, he leaves with her. This relationship was ultimately underdeveloped and seemed more like an afterthought rather than a planned occurrence. The good outweighed the bad, fortunately, and most of these problems can be ignored.
The performances in "Take the Lead" are actually very nicely-done, with Antonio Banderas being the highlight. Like I have said, he is deeply sexy and that definitely shows on screen. Yet, he also seems to showcase maturity and responsibility. He blends these two aspects seamlessly. Alfre Woodard also hits an amazing high note, embracing her character well. I found her to be completely convincing. The teens all do their jobs and do them well, allowing us to believe in them. These are some of the very few teens in Hollywood movies that actually act like teens. They do not fit the typical stereotypes. During the exciting finale of this film, I found myself wanting to jump up and dance. That is the sign of a good dance film. It drew me in, making me actually want to go out and sign up for a ballroom dancing course. It's an inspirational film that delivers exactly what it promises and so much more. All in all, I enjoyed it. Is it clichéd? Yes. Is it predictable? Definitely. But, is it more fun than a barrel of monkeys? You better believe it. If you haven't seen it yet, then go out, this weekend, and invite a lot of friends over and watch the movie. I assure you that you will have tons of fun.
Final Thought: Though it is ultimately clichéd, it is far better than most movies of its genre.
Overall Rating: 7/10 (B+)