Reviews

Instead of reiterating the many thoughtful statements about this movie, I'd like to add the following comments about how this film compares to the American version, in case you were wondering which to watch. I've seen the Japanese film (full length and cut) 4 or 5 times, including once in the original Japanese, and I've seen the American version twice. 1) The Japanese film is ultimately better as it stays with you for years, but I respect the attempt to make a fairly faithful Western adaptation out of a story whose heart depends on being Japanese. 2) A big difference is that the Japanese film uses dance as simply part of the story, while the American version relies on flashy music and more expert dancing to capture the audience, not trusting the story to work by itself. The Japanese dancing is more credible -- Richard Gere becomes a twinkle toes too quickly. 3) Both stories show how one middle-aged man deals with his feelings of being trapped in routine, by doing something difficult and beautiful: ballroom dancing. Although he starts out with a crush on a beautiful dancer, he soon moves on to dance for its own sake. But in Japan, ballroom dancing is much less acceptable. 4) Both films have great supporting characters and story lines, but the American version is more rushed and crowded. 5) The Japanese star is very reminiscent of Gregory Peck -- and even Richard Gere cannot fill those shoes -- but both are handsome and acquit themselves very well in their versions of this movie. 6) The Japanese film has a wonderful storyline about marriage that is more subtle and touching than the American movie version (where Susan Sarandon is too on the nose in some of her speeches). The Japanese wife of the man with a secret dancing life is a terrific supporting character. She moves from contentment to worry to sadness as she tries to figure out what her once reliable husband is doing when he stays out late. Her reactions add poignancy and depth to the entire story, and contribute to the final satisfaction with this movie. 7) Jennifer Lopez is NOT terrible in the American version. I've been watching ballroom dancing for many years, and enjoyed watching her in the American film. I guess she is somebody some people love to hate, but she has matured and here is elegant and credible as the competitive ballroom dancer. The Japanese dancer actually seems more like a ballet dancer than a ballroom dancer, but why quibble? Both women are lovely. 8) The American film has more memorable music, but the scene where the lead dances to "Shall We Dance" is delightful in both. 9) Watch the Japanese film first, when you are in the mood to get absorbed in the characters' lives. Then wait a few weeks to watch the American film, and watch it when you are in the mood to dance along. The soundtrack is great.

I cannot forget this comedy which I saw with an overflow crowd at a film festival in 2001. I never saw a review of it, so I went to see it because of word of mouth. I had no idea it would be so delightful. I liked it better than My Big Fat Greek Wedding and keep hoping it will get similar success. Charming, unique and yes - feel good - it has all the elements for a good date flick. An Indian tribe runs a ski lodge that desperately needs snow so that it can bring in customers to stay in business. The lodge manager also wants to impress a travel writer who will be staying incognito to write a review of their facilities. But mistaken identity leads to romance between the lodge manager and supposed travel writer, and a bit of slapstick ensues. In the end, more than one couple falls in love and of course -- it's a comedy -- it finally does snow like heaven.

I LOVED this show! When it went off the air after just one season I was shocked and so bummed because I had not taped every episode. I just figured it would be syndicated one day and watched ad nauseum, but the WB was too new and fragile to let an audience build. Some of the episodes were better than Seinfeld. One of the episodes I recited almost verbatim over the water cooler that week -- it was a complex escalation of scenes involving a man using women's deodorant, people getting caught on camera during a store holdup, and obnoxious car alarms. You had to see it to believe it. Truly an excellent show that would have survived if it had been on Thursday night's Must See TV lineup because it was far better than most of the shows that NBC dumped there.