Texture Over Flash and Bang....
Added 9/26/2009
2003's "The Dancer Upstairs" is an underappreciated but very worthwhile departure from the standard movie drama. It is a thinly fictionalized account of the pursuit of the murderous head of the Peruvian Maoist terrorist group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path). What could easily have been a flashy, violent thriller is, in Director John Malkovich's treatment, a slow-burning, richly textured movie centered on its characters and its location.
Javier Bardem is superb, and subtle, as a middle-aged detective charged with the pursuit of the leader of the terrorists. His edge is a chance encounter with the otherwise faceless suspect many years earlier. His methodical pursuit of a thin trail of clues is complicated by competition and corruption within the law enforcement community and by his own troubled personal life, not least his interest in his daughter's ballet teacher.
The movie's studiously even-handed presentation provides a textured look at the Peruvian society of the day, including our detective's uncertain links to his own Quechua heritage. This approach may distract viewers looking for police procedural content, but it imparts significant emotional content to the ending of the movie. "The Dancer Upstairs" is very highly recommended to the patient viewer looking for something different in a movie drama.
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2.5 stars out of 4
Added 4/20/2009
The Bottom Line:
With a central mystery that never captivates the audience and a vacant performance by Javier Bardem in the lead, The Dancer Upstairs is a draggy and ho-hum political thriller that can be safely left on whatever shelf you find it.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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well acted and tense drama
Added 12/14/2008
An interesting film with fine acting - the threatening political situation is a shadowy force throughout and the moral dilemmas are interesting. Bardem is wonderful
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Malkovich being Malkovich
Added 3/7/2008
Whether he is in front of the screen or behind the screen, John Malkovich is my guy!
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Dissapointing
Added 2/3/2008
I was disappointed by this movie. Although it has Laura Morante and Javier Bardem in it, and their acting is well done, the movie itself lacks so many things it I couldn't wait for it to be over. The film is slow, tedious and somewhat boring. Also, the plot is a bit confused and convoluted. The film fails to draw the viewer in and fails to tie many many things together. Several things are never explained which left me feeling confused and unable to better appreciate this movie. I just didn't like it much.
0 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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Texture Over Flash and Bang....
Added 9/26/2009
2003's "The Dancer Upstairs" is an underappreciated but very worthwhile departure from the standard movie drama. It is a thinly fictionalized account of the pursuit of the murderous head of the Peruvian Maoist terrorist group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path). What could easily have been a flashy, violent thriller is, in Director John Malkovich's treatment, a slow-burning, richly textured movie centered on its characters and its location.
Javier Bardem is superb, and subtle, as a middle-aged detective charged with the pursuit of the leader of the terrorists. His edge is a chance encounter with the otherwise faceless suspect many years earlier. His methodical pursuit of a thin trail of clues is complicated by competition and corruption within the law enforcement community and by his own troubled personal life, not least his interest in his daughter's ballet teacher.
The movie's studiously even-handed presentation provides a textured look at the Peruvian society of the day, including our detective's uncertain links to his own Quechua heritage. This approach may distract viewers looking for police procedural content, but it imparts significant emotional content to the ending of the movie. "The Dancer Upstairs" is very highly recommended to the patient viewer looking for something different in a movie drama.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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2.5 stars out of 4
Added 4/20/2009
The Bottom Line:
With a central mystery that never captivates the audience and a vacant performance by Javier Bardem in the lead, The Dancer Upstairs is a draggy and ho-hum political thriller that can be safely left on whatever shelf you find it.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
well acted and tense drama
Added 12/14/2008
An interesting film with fine acting - the threatening political situation is a shadowy force throughout and the moral dilemmas are interesting. Bardem is wonderful
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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