Better that shoving bamboo shoots under my fingernails.

Rating: 2/10 (8 February 2005)

It was that time again for me to sit down and watch another chick film with my wife. She got the popcorn and I got the bamboo shoots for my fingernails. The movie was better than I expected, however. It was about this bored guy who was happily married with two teenage children. Everyday he went to the same job where he was a lawyer at a small firm and every evening he rode the same commuter train home. He loved his wife and children but was asking himself that eternal question that haunts all of us from time to time, is this all there is? Is there anything more? Until one night on his way home he looked through the train window and noticed a strikingly beautiful women looking out the window of a dance studio. Intrigued he began to look for her every night on his way home and low and behold she was there every night. Until one night he decided to get off the train in attempt to meet this woman. He signed up for dance lessons figuring that she would be his instructor unfortunately his instructor turned out to be the owner of the studio, and old bag who needed a little nip from her flask now and then to make it through another session. Until one night his opportunity came when the old lady was gone and Paulina (Jennifer Lopez) taught his lesson for that night. He seized the opportunity when upon walking her out of the studio he asker her out for dinner for which she harshly rejected him.
After the rejection he soon discovered that it was the dancing that was filling the void in his life and not so much the fascination he had for Paulina.
Richard Gere was good in his role as John Clark. From the movies "The Cotton Club" and "Chicago" we all know Gere's talent as a musician and a dancer. (Both "The Cotton Club" and "Chicago" were far superior films; "Shall We Dance" is not in the same league. Gere's performances in those pictures were standouts compared the movie I am reviewing here. If you have not seen either one of those films get out and rent them. If you liked Richard Gere in "Shall We Dance" you will love him in "The Cotton Club" and "Chicago." The surprise for me in this movie was the performance of Jennifer Lopez. After being lamb basted by the late night talk shows for her performance in "Gigli" and "Maid In Manhattan" she did redeem herself a little here. Her talents as a dancer is undeniable and it was show cased beautifully here. She is without a doubt a very beautiful woman. I think her creditability suffers from her, self-inflicted off screen troubles, the on and off again marriages and romances, the see through dresses etc. We get a lot of J-Lo over kill from the media as well, if she changes brands of toilet paper Diane Sawyer has a 10 minute piece on "Good Morning America" the next day.
Susan Sarandon is always solid and has that ability to make even a bad film mediocre. Stanley Tucci is good in everything I have seen him in and he has been in a lot of movies and did a good job here as well except that his role was a week one. His Character was responsible for the comedy relief unfortunately it was not funny. Embarrassing may be a better word. The wig and fake wash off suntan just did not work.
All in all I have to give "Shall We Dance" two bamboo shoots.