Dancing at the Blue Iguana

The lives (and bodies) of several exotic dancers are laid bare in Michael Radford's (Il Postino) surprisingly touching look inside a Los Angeles area strip club. Angel (Darryl Hannah) wants to adopt a child but is thwarted by her lifestyle; Jasmine (Sandra Oh) is a talented closet poet who falls for a literary guy; Jo (Jennifer Tilly) has to deal with an unexpected pregnancy; and Jessie (Charlotte Ayanna) is victimized by her abusive boyfriend. Secondary stories involving the club owners and some regular customers add interest to the mix, but an extraneous subplot involving a Russian hitman detracts. Generally good performances elevate the sometimes marginal material, making this a strong optional purchase. (T. Rich)