Take the Lead Review
by samseescinema (sammeriam AT comcast DOT net)April 5th, 2006
Take the Lead
reviewed by Sam Osborn of www.samseescinema.com
rating: 3.0 out of 4
Director: Liz Friedlander
Cast: Antonio Bandera, Rob Brown
Screenplay: Dianne Houston
MPAA Classification: PG-13 (thematic material, language, and some violence)
"A shock story of today's high school hoodlums!" read the tagline in 1955 for the film Blackboard Jungle. It was the first of its kind and birthed the genre of schoolroom drama. Since its release, the genre has been a perennial bloomer, continually appearing in our multiplexes, head up by a star of the times and inspiring parents, teachers and students alike. But by now, the genre's fabric has worn thin and its tricks turned to toads. It needs some spice. Some boom-shak-a-laka, if you will. Thus, for 2006's entry into the genre, we have Liz Friedlander's feature debut Take the Lead.
Admittedly, Friedlander doesn't wring the genre to tight here, refusing to shift the basic foundations of the formula. But what she has done is mix an element of dance into the recipe. Antonio Banderas plays Pierre Dulaine, a wealthy downtown dance instructor who indulges the impulse to give a New York public school's detention dwellers some complimentary dance lessons. The kids are what the faculty refers to as the "school rejects", meaning the students continually dragged to Principle Bates' office. They're a band of cocky, oversexed, disillusioned delinquents; just what we're looking for in a feel-good flick. Heading up the group is Rock, played by Rob Brown who mostly exudes a sulky Derek Luke. A rivalry exists between Rock and his female counter-part, Lahrette (Yaya DaCosta), involving a gang war history between their deceased older brothers. Similar hardships afflict the other children, and paint a mostly convincing portrait of a lower-class New York. Anyway, the ballroom dance classes amount to an inevitable dance competition, where the grungy New York brats take on the nose-to-the-ceiling upper crust of Manhattan.
With all these films comes a hefty dose of sentimentality. It's the obvious pre-requisite and usually the cinderblock that drags the genre to the bottom of the ocean floor. Take the Lead is no exception. But, for some reason, this time I bought it. If nothing else, it's a fun flick. Antonio Banderas is oozing his Latino charm, the kids are amusing in their resistance and eventual submission, and, most of all, I was diggin' the dance. The soundtrack works on all levels; from the street rap and hip-hop to the Gershwins' piano ballads and ballroom swings. Swizz Beats and Aaron Zigman, the composers, even find a sweet spot where both genres kiss and make up, forming a ballroom blitz of pounding beats and soaring ballads. Complementing this balance is Liz Friedlander's direction. Her previous work consists mainly of music videos, making her an obvious choice for Director. Her experience has taught her how to photograph music and dance to spring emotions across any spectrum. She knows what close-ups to push in for and what panoramas to pull. In the climactic dance number, she pulls us in so deeply that when the music finally halts, our impulse is to clap as loudly as possible, forgetting momentarily that we're in a theatre, completely disconnected from her reality. The strength Friedlander shows reassures us of the recent influx of female directors. Her direction is strong and assured, an element the waves of incoming female film students should study well.
For what it is, Take the Lead works. It's no masterpiece, still wet behind the ears with syrupy sentimental, but the dance is fun and the kids charming. And, what the hell, I had a good time.
-www.samseescinema.com
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