Enjoyable romantic comedy

Rating: 7/10 (10 January 2006)

Richard Gere plays John Clark, a rather uninspired lawyer who feels his life needs some form of life injected to it. Happily married (to Susan Sarandon no less) with two children, John still feels like there's something missing. John decides to enroll in a dance class and finds that he truly has a passion for it and that it makes his life more enjoyable.
Many reviewers compare this film to the Japanese original and it seems this version suffers in comparison. I have not seen the Japanese version but I liked Shall We Dance quite a bit. The fact that Gere's character felt there was something missing despite him having a good life is a feeling I think everyone can relate to, to some extent. Feeling guilty about wanting something on top of what he already has makes the character more real, to me anyway, and it explains well why he kept it a secret from his wife.
Gere's moments in the dance class provide the film's real laughs and it's fun to see those guys get the feel for dancing. Jennifer Lopez, for once, gives a good performance as the moody dance instructor and her low-key presence is a huge plus. Where the film falters somewhat is when Sarandon hires two private detectives. Their characters are a little too silly and they don't fit comfortably in the film as a whole.
Overall I found Shall We Dance to be an enjoyable romantic comedy. Gere and Sarandon are both very good, Lopez as well and the supporting actors give their all to please the crowd.