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Hardworking lawyer John Clark (Richard Gere) has a loving family, a beautiful home, and a rewarding job -- but he finds himself bored nonetheless. Becoming entranced by daily glimpses of a dance instructor (Jennifer Lopez) he sees every night from his commuter train, John finally decides to take up ballroom dancing and, as a result, finds himself drawn into a second family, the existence of which his wife, Beverly (Susan Sarandon), is entirely unaware. This enchanting remake of the 1995 Japanese film -- an art-house hit in America -- works because director Peter Chelsom is so adept at leading his viewers down the garden path. Initially, we are led to believe that Clark's sole reason for enrolling in the dance school is to wangle an introduction to the Lopez character, but we learn that he's not necessarily looking for an extramarital affair. When we first hear about an upcoming dance competition, we immediately think, Aha, that's the big emotional set piece. But the contest doesn't unfold as one might suspect, and its relationship to the film's narrative is far different than anticipated. The supporting characters are a predictably diverse and eccentric lot, but they interact in unexpected ways, which confounds viewer expectations and keeps the movie interesting. Chelsom deserves a lot of credit for avoiding the obvious, especially in the matter of Lopez's dance instructor. She's neither a diva nor a traditional love interest; if anything, she's a catalyst for the changes Gere's character undergoes as he searches for a little excitement in his pleasantly humdrum life. Shall We Dance wasn't a big box-office success, perhaps because it wasn't the cookie-cutter romantic comedy many people expected. But in our book, that's a plus. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

Directed by Peter Chelsom, this film is the English-language remake of Masayuki Suo's 1995 romantic comedy of the same name; the Japanese version earned a record-breaking 9.5 million dollars in United States box offices. Shall We Dance? revolves around John Clark (Richard Gere), a workaholic Chicago lawyer who, despite a respectable paycheck and loving family, is unable to shake the feeling that something in his life is missing. On a whim, John disrupts his normal evening commute to attend a dance class in hopes of meeting Paulina (Jennifer Lopez), a beautiful dance teacher he would occasionally spot gazing out of the studio windows. Though Paulina quickly lays to rest any preconceived romantic notions John may have had about her, she nonetheless forms a bond with him that goes beyond those normally held by a teacher and student. Invigorated with his new hobby, John focuses his newfound enthusiasm into training for an upcoming dance competition; however, he chooses not to let his wife (Susan Sarandon) in on his plans. Unaware that dance may be, in fact, saving her marriage, John's wife becomes suspicious of all the time he spends away from home and hires a private investigator to find out whether or not her husband is having an affair. Ultimately, John is forced to examine how his old dreams fit in to his new life. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

Product Details

• UPC: 786936761153
• Source: MIRAMAX
• Region Code: A
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Language: Français
• Time: 1:46:00
• Sales Rank: 20,545

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