Shall We Dance?

A warmhearted semi-romance of self-discovery, Shall We Dance? (a remake of the 1996 Japanese film) opens so promisingly that it's a big disappointment when the picture suffers crucial missteps that throw off its entire rhythm. Richard Gere brings charm and subtle insightfulness to his role as a melancholy Chicago probate lawyer whose prosaic life gets a secret, seductive pick-me-up when he discovers a passion for ballroom dancing after being drawn to a dance studio where he's spotted--through a train window on his daily commute--a beautiful, similarly downcast stranger (Jennifer Lopez) teaching classes. A modest man who is too self-possessed to follow temptation into a full-on midlife crisis (Susan Sarandon plays his increasingly paranoid wife), Gere's psychological journey rings with a genuinely poignant harmony that serves as the movie's beat. But director Peter Chelsom (Serendipity) seems to have two left feet: he lets Lopez overplay her dance-instructor character's defensive, brokenhearted blues to an off-putting degree, and despite having two talented dancers for stars, he impatiently edits the ballroom and studio scenes, never letting the graceful tangos, foxtrots, waltzes, and rumbas speak for themselves. Ultimately, weak and improbable contrivances take over the story, leading to a finale that is the personification of feel-good over-scripted overkill. Optional. [Note: Available in either a widescreen or full screen version, DVD extras include audio commentary by director Peter Chelsom, a 23-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, five deleted scenes with optional commentary by Chelsom (17 min.)--including an alternate opening, the dance history/training featurette “Beginner's Ballroom” (6 min.), a four-minute featurette on “The Music,” the Pussycat Dolls music video “Sway,” and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing remake.] (R. Blackwelder)