Shall We Dance? (2004)

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The acting in this movie is really good.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

I know this film is from 2004, but it just happens that I have just seen it on TV. And it really made an impact on me, because first I thought it was extremely boring and I changed the channel several times, but there was nothing else worth seeing, I mean the alternative would've been the news! God help me, not on this time! So I had to continue watching the film and suddenly I thought it was very funny even though the film is not supposed to be funny, more like a light comedy. Some scenes were so ridiculous that I saw myself laughing both of the scene and the characters and the story. It's; you know like the middle aged professional lawyer that has an extremely boring family and job, he doesn't care for his wife but suddenly he sees a beautiful dance instructor through the train window which motivates him to change all his way of life. He just didn't know that he was a dancing talent like Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly! And this fabulous woman makes him see it just by swinging a little in the floor, and pang! he can dance Argentinian tango, American fox trot, waltz from Vienna, you name it; it was a miracle I was astonished. But I must admit it was a little frustrating that there is no real conclusion, I mean, like, there was this dancing contest that everybody was so interested in….. and we never see the ending of it so we will never know who won the contest! Oh; I know, they are surely filming a "Shall We Dance II" where we will know who won! So if you are bored go and look at it. Its surely worth the trouble to have your eyes open.

This version of "Shall We Dance?" is a cheap American ripoff of a vastly better Japanese movie with the same title. The whole premise of the movie makes no sense when placed in America, since we don't have the same cultural norms. The Japanese version is one of my favorite films. It has far more heart and much better character development than the American version. It's also much funnier. Do yourself a HUGE favor and watch the Japanese version instead!

John Clark (Richard Gere) lives a life of quiet desperation. Coming home on the commuter train, he sees beautiful Paulina (Jennifer Lopez) in the window of a dance studio. He gets off the train to take dancing lessons. His teacher turns out to be the older Miss Mitzi, and he falls in love with the dancing. His wife Beverly (Susan Sarandon) gets suspicious and hires Devine (Richard Jenkins) to investigate.Richard Gere is too suave for the role. I think he should be a meek office drone. He should at least be somebody more adept at comedy. Stanley Tucci is insanely hilarious as one of the students. That's the tone that the movie needs more of. I love that Hollywood didn't try to force Gere and Lopez into a romance. As it stands, it's a light charming little movie with big star names.

Spoiler alert. I think this is really an exceptional, unusual ensemble movie. I've said I'm not a Richard Gere fan but I notice more often than not I really enjoy his work. He has a very modest way and sense of humor that I appreciate. In this one he is an attorney needing a little spark in his life (without knowing it), who notices JLo in the window of a dance studio and decides to dive in. Along the way he finds that his law partner (exquisitely, as always, played by Tucci) is a wig-wearing closet dancer himself. Walters is also great as Gere's eventual dance partner. If this was ordinary stuff Gere would end up with JLo and that would be that, as it is things don't go that way. My one complaint is the way they handle Gere's contest performance, which slightly flaws an otherwise intelligent movie. Otherwise, it's as fun and upbeat as they come.