Great Hollywood Film

Rating: Null/10 (31 December 2004)

Shall We Dance surprised me. Big time. I usually don't like romantic comedies. But this one works, amazingly. It's light, funny, smart, with a great soundtrack. The scenes that use Peter Gabriel's The Book of Love always get to me. Beautiful stuff, wonderfully executed.
It's a remake of, arguably, a superior Japanese film that tells the sweet story of an unhappy lawyer who's life is reinvigorated with of all things, ballroom dancing.
Are parts of the film predictable? Sadly, yes. My guess is the original screenplay by Audrey Wells was superior to the final studio approved version. But it all still works very well.
Don't listen to the cold hearted naysayers who bash this flawed gem. I saw it multiple times at the theater and each time there was a great vibe in the audience. It seemed like everyone left loving this movie. It's cool to see Jennifer Lopez make a good movie again. I can't remember digging anything of hers since Out of Sight. Kudos all round.