User Comments:
31 out of 36 people found the following comment useful:-
Truly Moving Picture, 28 March 2006
Author:
tollini from United States
I saw this film on March 28th, 2006 in Indianapolis. I am one of the
judges for the Heartland Film Festival's Truly Moving Picture Award. A
Truly Moving Picture "�explores the human journey by artistically
expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life." Heartland
gave that award to this film.
The setting is a rundown high school in a poor minority neighborhood in
Manhatten. The students have a challenging family environment. Their
parents are depicted as mostly unemployed and drunks, drug users,
prostitutes, and low-lifes. Their children reflect this environment.
They hide their low self esteem with bravura, petty crimes, slang,
rudeness, indifference and, above all, their love of hip-hop music.
By accident and fate, Pierre Dulaine (Antonio Banderas) walks into the
Principal's (Angela Bassett) office. He is challenged to work with the
worst of the students as a volunteer in the detention hall after
school. Pierre is an ex-professional ballroom dancer and runs a
ballroom dancing school. He decides to get to the kids with ballroom
dancing. His competition is hip-hop music and hip-hop dancing and the
ghetto, chip-on-the-shoulder attitudes.
Pierre tackles his assignment with presence. He is impeccably dressed,
polite, and exudes intensity and confidence. Over time and with
difficulty, he starts to bring the troubled teens up to his level. He
never goes down to their level. And then he challenges the teens with a
city-wide ballroom dance contest, and the story takes off.
Pierre attempts to give hope to the students by having them make good
choices. Pierre's tools are his own spirit, grace, sacrifice and charm.
He wills his way into getting respect from the students.
The movie has the same inspirational feel as "Mad Hot Ballroom" but is
much different. This film is fiction and about older students and is
much more edgy and brutal.
While the film is occasionally edgy and dark, the music and dance makes
this strangely a light and entertaining watch for most of the time. And
the music and dance are eclectic � from Gershwin to 50 Cents and from
Tango to slow motion Breakdance.
FYI � There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a
listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either
at the theater or available on video.
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