Merrick don't dance...

Massawyrm started his day yesterday with...well...BASIC INSTINCT 2. CLICK HERE to see how that went.

His day ended with TAKE THE LEAD, which apparently turned out much, much, better.

Here's Massawyrm...

Hola all. Massawyrm here. If you’ve clicked on this story wondering ‘What the hell is Take the Lead’ you’re not alone. Millions upon millions of Americans currently suffer from what is called in scientific terms ‘appellative disjunction’, more commonly known as ‘what the fuck was that called again?’ In this case we have a film that probably should have instead been titled its logline: Antonio Banderas teaches inner city kids to dance. ‘Oh yeah,’ many of you are now exclaiming ‘that’s that fucking movie.’ As well you should. The trailer’s been attached to nearly every damned movie I’ve seen for the last three months – and despite that, I still had to IMDB it when someone mentioned there was a screening of it. Like I said, millions of Americans are suffering from appellative disjunction with this film. Even me.

Take the Lead yet another a film that teaches us the important lesson that any person ‘of color’ is born with the ability to dance like a pro – as long as that dance style is native to their culture – and that Caucasians can only do so if they possess the cornrolls necessary to develop a connection to the power of ‘soul’, otherwise they must spend years and thousands of dollars to learn how. Beyond this lesson is the reinforcement of the idea that no amount of study can ever overcome the awesome power of the training montage. However, Take the Lead teaches us a brand new lesson – that inner city kids cannot fathom the classics – unless of course they are plugged into seemingly artificially intelligent computers that can beatmap and scratch those songs, while adding urban versions of the lyrics…all while operating completely unmanned.

However, aside from these glaringly humorous stereotypes, Take the Lead is actually a sincere, adorable film merging the time honored sub-genre’s of ‘Amateurs head to the big dance off’ and ‘All Inner City Kids need is a good teacher to inspire them’ into an enjoyable time for fans of either. “Inspired by a True Story” (TRANSLATION: Really, we swear, this kind of happened this way), it is an involving story based upon the program started by Pierre Dulaine that many of you have become familiar with through the great documentary ‘Mad Hot Ballroom.’ Deciding that he wants to give back to the community through dance, Pierre (Antonio Banderas) convinces an embittered inner city principal (Alfre Woodard) to let him teach a dance class to most delinquent, underprivileged kids imaginable, and subsequently gets involved in the lives of everyone in the class who they bother to give a line. But the stories are genuinely interesting and heartfelt, and long time music video/first time feature director Liz Friedlander manages to weave humor with drama into something I really quite liked.

What works best for the film, however, is the raw charisma of its leads. Many forget that the reason Antonio Banderas became a star in this country was due to his great performance and even better dancing in The Mambo Kings fourteen years ago. Not given much of a chance to show off since (only occasionally getting to ‘kind of’ dance briefly in the Zorro and Desperado movies), Banderas once again tears up the floor with his grace and sardonic ‘latin lover’ charm that makes even ballroom dancing look cool and smooth as all get out. Rob Brown (Finding Forrester and Coach Carter) does another fine job in the role he was seemingly born to play again and again, the underprivileged kid who just needs a mentor – Dante Basco is just as humorous as he always is as the Street Smart Funny Asian Kid – and ensuring that Kevin Smith is going to plop down his hard earned $7.50 on opening night is Degrassi Jr. High Alum Lauren Collins as the rich white girl without rhythm who absorbs it through osmosis by dancing with inner city kids. Sure, most of this cast is no-brainer retreads of roles they’ve already played, but that actually works in Take The Lead’s favor.

You see, films like this, particularly those of the ‘big dance off’ variety, gain most of their power through familiarity. Familiarity of plot, familiarity of character archetypes, but mostly familiarity of actors. These aren’t movies marketed to film elitists – these are films marketed to moms and daughters, sisters and girlfriends. Pretty much anyone lacking a Y chromosome. When they’re great, they become beloved classics like Dirty Dancing, Strictly Ballroom and Saturday Night Fever. When they’re awful, they become films of legend like Stayin’ Alive, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights and Thank God It’s Friday. Occasionally you get your camp classic, like Girls Just Want to Have Fun. But the good ones become comfort films, oft forgotten but beloved by some, like Shall We Dance and Center Stage. Take the Lead is one of the good ones.

Obviously, based upon the material, you already know whether or not it’s a movie for you. You’re either cynical when it comes to these two sub-genre’s or you’re not. Those that love these genres are going to fall in love with this little gem. Those that abhor either one will find plenty to bitch about. But if you have no predilection either way, this is a film that will entertain and hit all the right notes. If you’re the father of a preteen/teenage girl looking to spend some quality time with your daughter or the boyfriend of a girl complaining that she’s been forced to watch too many geek films, here is a zero pain alternative to score yourself some brownie points. Otherwise I’m not going to try to recommend it to anyone who can’t tell from the trailer whether or not they’ll dig it. The trailer’s pretty straight up (with only a few slight misdirections) and if somehow you’ve been living under a rock for the last three months and haven’t seen it, do so now. Your reaction will make the decision for you.

Until next time friends, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em. I know I will.

Massawyrm

He's a dance dance dance dance dancin' machine, watch him get down, watch him get down, and shoot him an e-mail to read on his video screen.