I'd Rather Not 'Dance'

Rating: 4/10 (24 October 2004)

Sometimes it seems that the film should have been a musical. Sometimes there are just too many spots where it seems more logical for the protagonist to break out in song then deliver his sorrowful speech about the human condition. In Shall We Dance? they already have the dance aspect down. The most colorful moments are the dance sequences between Jennifer Lopez and whichever man she is pulling the hand of off her ass this time.
John Clark, played by a sullen Richard Gere, is happy but not happy. He wants something more from life. Despite a successful marriage to Susan Sarandon and two kids, he feels that monotony has taken over. On passing a dance studio one night on his way home, he sees the face of Lopez from the window. She externalizes everything he is feeling inside and he finds himself compelled to talk to her. Upon walking into the studio, he finds himself signed up for beginner's ballroom dancing. You know the rest  wife fears there's an affair, Clark discovers an actual love for dancing, befriends Lopez, they change each other's life, etc.
Singin' In the Rain used dancing in the place of sex. When they're dancing together, they're sleeping together. In Shall We Dance? they may have been going for something along the same line. Why else would Jennifer Lopez spend the entire movie looking like she is about to have an orgasm? It surpasses the serious dance face that some were going for. In actuality, the dancing is the best part of the movie. It's well performed, minus a few facial expressions, and obviously had the most time put into it. Richard Gere shows the he still hasn't lost what he acquired for Chicago, although that was a smarter career move.
Shall We Dance? is supposed to be a comedy. There are some funny spots but mostly the problem is that the filmmakers felt a sentimental aspect was lacking and went overboard on their attempts to fix that. Every scene is rank with a brooding Gere or Lopez. The script and acting falls second to the dancing and costuming. However, if you want to see good dancing, there are so many other movies that get that aspect at the same time as the script. See Singin' In the Rain or Chicago instead of this.
**/*****