Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez bring electric chemistry to the fore in this 2004 light-hearted flick now available to rent on Apple TV, Shall We Dance?
Helmed by Peter Chelsom, this toe-tapping feature is an adaptation of the 1996 Japanese hit with the same title, directed by Masayuki Suo.
The cast also boasts the talents of Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Lisa Ann Walter, Nick Cannon, and Anita Gillette. 'Shall We Dance? ' twirled its way to an impressive $170 million global box-office haul, marking it as a commercial hit, reports Surrey Live.
This uplifting rom-com zooms in on John Clark (played by Gere), a lawyer who's outwardly happy in his marriage to Sarandon's character yet senses a dull void as he faces life's later seasons. His life takes an unexpected turn when he sees the stunning Paulina (Lopez) looking out from a dance studio, leading him to impulsively enrol for ballroom dancing classes.
What ensues is an enriching journey laden with new bonds, surprising self-discovery, and rejuvenated zest during the supposed dusk of his existence.
General viewer feedback was largely favourable, yet critic opinions were divided, with one remark noting: "Shall We Dance? stumbles into a tight corner between comedy and romance, failing to satisfy on either count."
One critic said: "This excellent and acclaimed cast is shoved into a film whose screenplay should have alerted them that it's not ready to go before the cameras," while another slammed it with: "Takes a small, exquisite Japanese movie and turns it into a big, stupid American movie. Still, it must be said that as glossy and overproduced as the thing is, it's a good Big Stupid American movie."
Yet, not every critic was left cold, as one lauded the flick, saying: "Shall We Dance? celebrates marriage, self-renewal, the benefits of acting on impulse and the courage to dance to your own mambo beat. Audiences susceptible to its charms will be dancing down the aisles."
A more measured review came from another critic who noted: "It's hard not to get caught up in this film, despite its many flaws, primarily because Gere makes for a sympathetic figure, a middle-aged man just wanting to feel something new in the autumn of his life."
And injecting some humour into their assessment, one reviewer quipped: "...if you're not prepared to watch Richard Gere pulsate for 106 minutes, you're not going to have much fun with this picture."
The film received a generally positive response from the audience, with one viewer sharing: "Found myself smiling through much of this movie. A wonderful tale of the mundane in life's routines, desires, lust, love, and outright joy . There's always a "this doesn't happen in real life" feeling about a movie like this, but I didn't care. Great cast, and great to have a movie like this! Pure entertainment with heart! ! Loved it! ! !".
Another viewer praised the uplifting nature of the film, writing: "This was a really nice, feel-good movie, the dancing was great. I'm glad the story didn't take the turn I was fearing. Richard Gere was spectacular in one of his usual lovable characters. He's just got an irresistible.. something. Stanley Tucci was hilarious, I just love that guy."
However, not all reviews were glowing, with one critic comparing the American remake unfavourably to its original Japanese version: "Hollywood attempts to clone the success of the original Japanese film and falls flat on its face. What was a movie about proudly expressing oneself became yet another boring chick-flick."
Shall We Dance? is available to rent on Apple TV now.
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