This cumbersomely-titled movie centers on Frank (Robert Carlyle), a baker grieving over the suicide of his wife, who comes upon a car wreck and comforts the dying driver, Steve (John Goodman), promising to visit the titular establishment to keep a date with a girl Steve had danced with during an idyllic summer many years before. Though Frank doesn't find Steve's dream woman there, he's wakened from his sadness through dancing and finds new love in a shy young woman who is pushed around by her cocky stepbrother. Folded into this narrative is footage taken from a short film made by the director some 15 years ago, showing how young Steve was transformed by the training he received at the school, as well as another plot thread involving Frank's grief therapy group with other widowers who eventually find their way to the dance class too. Despite the fractured script, which shuffles between Frank's story and young Steve's, nothing in this deliberately paced and nigh sickeningly sweet film will come as a surprise. Still, given the good cast (also including Marisa Tomei, Mary Steenburgen, Sean Astin, and Danny DeVito) and assured audience for this kind of old-fashioned sentimental film, this is an optional purchase. (F. Swietek)
Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School
Sony, 103 min., PG-13, DVD: $26.98, July 4 Volume 21, Issue 4
Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing & Charm School
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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