«Let's Dance» stumbles, then makes up for it by the skin of its teeth4 reading minutes

Cinema Wednesdays - Melisa Oriol

Let's Dance is the first feature film by director Ladislas Chollat. Although his first steps in the world of cinema are clumsy in many respects, it's not all bad news!

In dance films, it's hard to stand out from the crowd when there are so many competitors. Quite often, in dance movies,The protagonists evolve in opposite circles, and then a rather silly love story unites an arrogant, urban young man with a classic, shy young woman. Let's Dance is no exception to the rule. The meeting between Joseph (Rayane Bensetti) and Chloé (Alexia Giordano) will push the hip-hop scene into the arms of classical dance.

Today, these two styles are frequently combined, often resulting in remarkable choreography. One disappointing aspect of the film, however, is that the love affair between the two teenagers intrudes too much on the dance sequences. Endless close-ups of the lead actors' faces mar the film's most important motif: the dancing! We'd like to see more of it. 

Especially since Brahim Zaibat, former world champion of breakdance, can be found in the casting. The pleasure of watching him dance is unfortunately very brief. He may have reached the heights of dance, but his acting leaves much to be desired. But he's not the only one. Let's face it, the cast selection isn't very good. In fact, it's more pleasant to see them express themselves visually than verbally. Of them all, it's perhaps actor Mehdi Kerkouche (Karim) who raises the overall standard with his natural acting and engaging character.

Turn, turn, turn, and then they're gone...

When it comes to the visual aspect and the way the dance is filmed, a surprising choice has been made. The film breaks up the choreography, rather like dance steps. In the first sequence, in which Joseph demonstrates his hip-hop style, the camera revolves around him, fragmenting and sublimating his every move. 

Wisely placed slow-motion sequences magnify the most complex figures. It's an intelligent approach, but one that sometimes causes problems. Such is the case with Chloé's magical solo, in which, in tears, she dances in a studio late at night. In a dreamlike atmosphere, lit only by a dim light, we circle around her. The first few turns give the impression that the camera is dancing a waltz with the young protagonist. Then, as the minutes tick by, the «waltz» becomes more and more intoxicating and dizzying. The progressive speed of the camera movements blurs the image and spoils this most delightful moment.

Despite the film's trials and tribulations, downfalls and more or less successful attempts, there's one point on which it stands out. The intelligent scripting of the final scene is a real success. It's surprising and truly splendid. Let's Dancehas broken new ground where most other dance films have failed by repeating or blandly copying what has already been seen a thousand times.

It's a triumph both narratively and visually. Without spoil, The end is really a synthesis of the story of two parallel worlds - hip-hop and classical - which meet to form their own universe. All of this is set to music that is also a meeting point, between Max Richter and Vivaldi. The result is a breathtaking, playful remix of the Four Seasons. The film is well worth the detour, if only for the final scene.

Write to the author: melisa-orl@hotmail.com

Photo credit: © Pathé Films