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The onslaught of ballroom dancing themed entertainment continues with New Line Pictures, Take the Lead. Inspired, though lightly, by true happenings, Take the Lead attempts to dance into the heart of the inner city like a knight in shining nucbucks. But unfortunately this film has two left feet. Ok, maybe not two left feet but they were definitely stepping on my toes in too many places. And let me tell you why that is a shame.

Take the Lead sort of tells the story of a guy who wanted to do something positive and change the lives of some disadvantaged kids. And he has done that. In a profound way. That man is Pierre Dulaine. The real Pierre teaches ballroom dancing in the New York public schools to elementary kids. He uses this to instill in them confidence, elegance, courtesy and style. His curriculum has spread to other school systems and people are seeing the marvelous effect it has on kids who might otherwise be overlooked and forgotten. Pierre has numerous success stories that will touch your heart. Too bad none of them are in THIS movie.

The powers that be at New Line thought it would be a nifty idea to, instead of using these powerful testimonies, create their own fictional accounts of what would happen if this took place with high school students instead of elementary kids. Something that Pierre has yet to do. So what you get is an attempt to create kids that you can pull for and then are left with thin story lines and huge plot gaps. Antonio Banderas was cast to play Dulaine in Take the Lead. Not a bad choice since Banderas certainly has the ability to bring the power of dance plus has some of the same passions and energies as the real Pierre. Certain events bring Dulaine to a rough neighborhood high school where he volunteers to teach detention if he can incorporate ballroom dance into the lives of the kids who are there. He is met with negative
response and lack of support from the school’s principal (Alfre Woodard) and other faculty.

The teens as well are less than excited about having this graceful well-mannered gentleman try and push upon them his music and mindset. These are kids from bad neighborhoods who have never been given hope and Pierre wants to do that. I wish the filmmakers could have done the same. I felt no chemistry or character development with any of them. Sure it is about the dancing and there are a few scenes where they are allowed to shine. But the main theme is lost in gaping holes. When the detention-ers get a chance to compete in the area highbrow ballroom dance tournament they finally decide to give it a shot and show what they are made of.

As I mentioned I wanted this film to be amazing because of Dulaine’s work and the positive theme of respect and personal achievement that he brings. But I am afraid it will be over shadowed by a very bad movie. I hope I am wrong. When talking to the lead actress, Yaya DaCosta, I voiced my concern that the right kids wouldn’t get a chance to see this film. The kids who need to know they can amount to something. The real inner-city youth. She assured me they would. I pray she is correct.

Take the Lead is rated PG-13 for thematic material, language and some violence. It is a fairly tame movie with the only real concern being the language. I can only give it 2 out of 5 tangos. My suggestion is for you to go watch Mad Hot Ballroom, the true to life documentary on this subject. Those kids will move you like this movie wanted to but failed. With a look at Take the Lead, I’m Matt Mungle

The Mungle (4/03/06)

Matt is a member of the North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) and hosts the weekly syndicated Indie Rock Radio Show Spin 180. Plus with his wife Cindy they do a weekly radio feature, The Mungles on Movies. For additional reviews and interview clips visit the website www.mungleshow.com
 

To hear Matt's interview with Antonio Banderas and other cast members click here!
http://www.mungleshow.com/reviewttl.htm