Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights

Plot synopsis:
In 1958, Katey Miller (Romola Garai), her parents (Sela Ward and John Slattery), and her younger sister Susie (Mika Boorem) arrive in Cuba during the Cuban revolution. A self-described bookworm, Katey is not very happy about having to move to a different country during her senior year of high school, as she had been planning to attend Radcliffe College, although the rest of her family seem extremely pleased to be in Cuba.
Meeting several other rich American teenagers down by the pool - including James Phelps (Jonathan Jackson), the son of her father's boss -, Katey becomes disgusted when one of the teenagers insults a local waiter when he accidentally knocks over some of their drinks. Katey attempts to talk to the waiter—Javier (Diego Luna), who works at the hotel to support his family—because she feels awful about what had occurred, but he is not interested.
Katey watches a film of her mother and father dancing and wishes she could dance as well as they did. She and her father dance a bit. The next day in class, Katey is asked to read aloud from The Odyssey - a passage about love and passion. After class, James invites her to a party at the country club the next day and she accepts.
While walking home from school, she sees Javier dancing at a street party, and he offers to walk her home. They stop to listen to a street band and police show up, stopping Javier while Katey runs away.
The next day, Katey tries some of the dance moves she saw. Javier sees her and asks her to come see the real dancers Saturday night, but she says she is already going to the country club. Javier gets upset and leaves. Katey wears one of her maid's dresses to the country club party and impresses James. Katey convinces him to take her to the Cuban club where Javier is dancing with the ladies.
Javier dances with Katey while James sits at the bar. Soon he is accosted by Javier's brother, Carlos, who tells him that they will eventually kick the Americans out of Cuba. Javier comes over and argues with his brother. James takes Katey back to the car and assaults her after she refuses to kiss him. She slaps him and runs into the club, and Javier agrees to walk her home.
The next day, Katey walks by a dance class. The teacher (Patrick Swayze) asks if anyone wants to enter the big dance contest and then dances with Katey for a bit. She grabs a flyer for the competition.
While walking to the pool, James apologizes to Katey and then tells her that Susie saw Javier with her and got him fired. Katey argues with Susie and goes to find Javier. He is now working at a chop shop with Carlos. She asks him to enter the dance contest with her, but he refuses. Meanwhile, it is becoming apparent that Carlos is helping the revolutionaries.
The next day, Javier shows up at Katey's school and agrees to enter the dance contest with her. They start teaching each other dance moves and Javier convinces her to "feel the music". They practice all the time, and Katey dances some more with the dance teacher, until it is the night of the dance. Katey and Javier dance with the other couples on the floor and are chosen to go on to the next round.
Katey's parents disapprove of her relationship with Javier, but Katey reconciles with them. On the night of the contest's final round, while Katey and Javier are on the dance floor, Javier sees his brother and some revolutionaries disguised as waiters, and the police soon try to arrest them. The contest stops as everyone flees the club, and Javier has to save Carlos from the police. Javier and Carlos talk about how they miss their dad, then they hear that Batista has fled the country and join the celebration.
Later, Javier comes to the hotel and finds Katey. He takes her to the beach and they make love. The next day, Katey's parents tell her they are leaving Cuba and she has one last night with Javier. They go to the Cuban club where they first danced, and the floor is theirs. Katey's family is there to see her, and Katey narrates that she doesn't know when she will see Javier again, but this will not be their last time to dance together.

Tags: romantic

Review:
This was not as good as the first, but considering it wasn't really a sequel but more like a completely different movie I thought it was awesome.
With the sexy dancing and the sexy music and the typical(but good) storyline this is the perfect movie to watch anytime!10/10.
And Diego Luna (as Javier Suarez) does a great job of dancing and being a charismatic character, not to mention that he's pretty hot!I haven't seen the original Dirty Dancing, but I think you should let this film stand on its own.
Just because it uses the name, it doesn't mean they're linked.On the whole, if you want to see a nice movie with lots of hot dancing, Havana Nights is for you.
I rented this movie the other day simply because I wanted to see how they could possibly do a sequel to the first Dirty Dancing.
All good parents tell their children "If you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all."  (Of course, most good parents also warn you about running all over a foreign country at all hours of the night, but I digress!) So....(INSERT EXTRA LONG PAUSE FILLED WITH TONGUE BITING SILENCE!!)So, I promise that I won't go on about the injustice done to a modern day classic by slapping it's title on an overly cliched and not well acted (or overly well danced) sloppy second and I won't recount how creepy Patrick Swazye is looking (when exactly did he see her dancing, is the creepy old guy stalking her!?!).
Instead, I will say that John Slattery and Sela Ward tried their best with what they were given and the female costumes were stunning (although how she went from a prudish, sweater wearing introvert who had to borrow a "sexy" outfit from the maid to having a zillion low cut, less than demure dresses I'll never know!)So, now that I've done my best to say a little "something nice" and a whole lot of "anything at all"s, let me finish knowing that although I'll do my best not to take a piece of this movie with me, I think that, unfortunately, a little piece of it will always stay, well not in my heart, but definitely with me!!.
My father was living in Havana in the early 1960s, and reports what seems pretty obvious: this film is full of a modern, highly stylized and "hip-hoppified" version of Cuban street dancing.But, there is a lot of other stuff to gripe about in this film.Plot: our heroine is an American gringa whose family moves to pre-revolutionary Cuba because her dad's company promoted him to a position there.
If you want to watch cool Latin dancing, rent the 1980s Robby Rosa film "Salsa!" If you have a desperate need to get rid of four dollars and be bored for 90 minutes, rent "Dirty Dancing Havana Nights.".
If your expecting a carbon remake of the original "Dirty Dancing", then you will be sorely disappointed as although "Dirty Dancing Havana Nights" shares the same plot and name there are few similarities between the two movies.
The amazing setting of Cuba is a brilliant setting, the colourful surroundings bring to life a surreal feeling that captures the summer buzz of the movie perfectly.The politics involved of the revolution manage to reach through this idealistic dream and bring a harsh sense of reality to the movie, that in my opinion is very interesting.Katey (Romola Garai) and Javier (Diego Luna) dance well together.
However, it is rescued by the ending that provides a powerful reality that wakes them up from the summer dream that the movie seems to build its self into and provides a bittersweet ending that in my opinion is very good, although it leaves you wondering what happened next.Overall, the movie is well worth seeing, it brings together a brilliant story, with hot music and a time/setting that is unforgettable, once you see it once you'll want to watch again and again..
Later they fall in love for each other in times of revolution.I like movies of dance, but "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights" is a wonderful and delightful homage to dance and to the first love that has superseded my best expectations.
Then, the magnificent chemistry showed between the adorable Romola Garai, who gives credibility to her beautiful character with a touching performance and a stunning dance, and the great Diego Luna, and the cameo appearance of Patrick Swayze.
This situation could only work in the minds of the movie people because in real life, Katey couldn't have cared less for the young man, let alone be associated with him for any kind of social dancing.In fact, there is such sharp contrast between the girl of privilege and a working class poor boy that it would have taken a miracle for bringing them together.
We see it again done here as it's the climax of the "dirty dancing" competition where Katey and Javier are finalists.As for the dancing, the people involved in the film have created a hybrid in trying to present what one sees in the movie for "real" dancing, when this type of sensual dancing didn't come into being until the nineties.Diego Luna is a good actor and does what he can with his Javier.
Sela Ward has some good moments as Katey's mother, and Patrick Swayze shows up as a dancing instructor.Mr. Ferland, the director, should have done some research in Miami, or another area where Cubans still dance in their own fashion and it would have made up for a better dancing in a film that feels fake from beginning to end..
The dancing is amazing and Romola Garai and Diego Luna should get huge credit for there amazing performances even thought they are not dancers.Diego Luna is a very gorgeous actor and him in the film makes many young people want to watch the film.
I thought it would be like the damn dirty dancing movie..
Diego Luna had a very good part in this film, catching all the female attention (sure got mine), learning how to lead a girl (dancing of course) extremely good movie.
Her parents (Sela Ward and John Slattery) try to keep her sheltered, and though she does attend a largely American private school, along with James Phelps (Jonathan Jackson) and her sister Susie (Mika Boorem), she soon drifts into the spicy, rhythm-based center of Havana with waiter Javier (Diego Luna).The story may seem predictable and a poor retelling, but I really enjoyed it.
Also ones to mention are January Jones and Jonathan Jackson as Katey's American acquaintances.Everyone instantly rolls their eyes when they see 'Dirty Dancing' tacked on to it, but I encourage people to forget about its predecessor and see the story that Guy Ferland and his team are trying to tell this time around.
Patrick Swayze makes little more than a guest appearance in 'Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights,' the misbegotten 'sequel' to the 1987 box office smash that turned the actor into a bona fide movie star.This time around the focus is on Katey Miller (Romola Garai), a high school senior who moves with her family to Cuba in 1958, right on the eve of the Castro revolution.
That 'Shall We Dance?' will wind up doing far better at the box office than 'Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights' may provide some sweet vindication not only for Swayze but for all the fans of the original film for which this sequel was allegedly made..
I just don't think movies like Dirty Dancing or Grease should have ever been remade because you just CAN'T top the first!.
Diego Luna plays Javier Suarez, a local waiter/busboy at the country club frequented by well-to-do Americans, like the parents of Katey Miller (Romola Garai).
Likewise, the chemistry between Luna and Garai lacks the heat that transformed Baby into a believable love interest for Johnny Castle.The supporting cast boasts the beautiful Sela Ward (as Katey's mother), John Slattery (as the father) and an under-used January Jones.In this film and the original (and many others in this genre, like "Flashdance" or "Footloose"), the music and dance are the agents of liberation.
If you haven't seen the first or fall in love with the first Dirty Dancing then you might enjoy this movie.
This film makes the people look at a love between boy and girl which is won through the dancing and not by something else, and I think this is rare!!
But I don't like the ending, it's horrible!The dancing, the Cuban music and the romance between Javier and Katey captures everybody's heart..
(The Exorcist II - Grease 2) Dirty Dancing with Patrick Swayze was a great movie, and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights with Diego Luna is a worthy sequel.The movie is, of course, a love story between a young American woman named Katey, and a young Cuban man named Javier.
There is more to the story like Katey discovering the "True way of dancing" by "feeling" the music.
The movie was obviously made for today's generation of teenagers, so older fans of Dirty Dancing should probably stick with the original, although Patrick does play a small role in this one.
Havana nights was a good movie as far as the dancing goes but when it comes to the plot it was kind of boring but it makes up for it because of the dancing and the acting.DIego luna does a pretty good job not his best but good everyone else was ordinary But like I said the choreography was great.I think the plot was OK originally but it was not well executed.
He's what really ruined the first Dirty Dancing for me, as I have never really cared for him as an actor and never really found him good looking.I really enjoyed the story although I don't think it ended well.
It didn't really need the added title of 'dirty dancing', cause the only reference it really makes to the original is Patrick Swayze as an un-named dance instructor who is of no significance, in fact, if you had cut his part out completely, and left the title as 'Havana Nights', you'd have ended up with pretty mush the same cool film!
well, dragged into watching Dirty Dancing 2 and was momentarily shocked by how great the story was.First of all, it's nice that it starts in a car with the girl sitting in the back thinking "I don't want to go there!" just like in Dirty Dancing 1 and secondly, the dancing scenes are even better than in part 1.
I thought so in the beginning, but watch it closely (except for the cheesy scenes) and you'll see it's a wonderful movie full of emotion, dance, passion and growing up problems just like the classic we have loved ever since we first met Baby..
I felt Diego Luna did an amazing job with his part as Javier, despite some kinda cheesy lines, and for people who didnt dance before I thought both him and Romola were quality.
The dancing lived up to the original easily, and to me looked more passionate in fact.The only thing I wasn't sure about was Romola, who in parts seemed to struggle a bit, though to be fair Katey was probably not the best character to demonstrate anyone's acting skills.I loved Havana Nights and think the cast and production team deserve a huge round of applause for making the sequel to the classic original Dirty Dancing such a success..
Well, we all knew that this would be mindless entertainment, and I have never been one to say no to a mindless movie as long as good dancing is involved (Center Stage, anyone?), but there are some things I can't get by.Why is it in Cuba when the original was in the Catskills?
I know guys who liked this movie for the mere fact of the music, it has a good soundtrack that's up to date with music you can really dirty dance to.
Of course there is a romance stiring up in this film and Diego Luna, very hot might I add, does a good job in playing his role, as does Romola Garai.
If you want to see a good movie, pick up the first Dirty Dancing.
A young girl and her family move to Cuba just before the revolution, like the original, Katey Miller (Romola Garai) is expected to marry someone her parents approve of, which is were James Phelps (Jonathan Jackson) comes in, the snobby rich guy, only after one thing.
I was surprised to see Patrick Swayze in the film, who played Johnny Castle in the first movie, he appeared in a scene trying to encourage Katey to take part in the dance contest.
Patrick Swayze can still dance the night away, and he'll always be a great actor, but the star of this movie was Romola Garai and Diego Luna, a great actress and actor.
Unfortunately this movie will never beat the original, to me its a classic.The music, the clothes, the dancing everything was sexy and stylish, a great chick flick for the girls..
When I saw the movie Dirty Dancing for the first time, I instantly fell in love with the storyline, the dancing and the music.
I will always love Dirty Dancing, it's a classic but I think Havana nights will appeal more to the younger generation because of the sexiness of the film, dancing, music and actors.
Havana nights doesn't really follow on the storyline of Dirty Dancing which I was disappointed in, in the beginning but as the film went on I began to love the new characters and story.
Dirty Dancing Havana Nights is a typical story of an educated middle class girl falling in love with local poor boy via the medium of a shared love of dance.Aside from a few brief appearances by Patrick Swayze and its title, it really has nothing to do with the earlier Havana Nights and those who enjoyed the first may not necessarily like this one.What it does have however is a wonderful setting (old San Juan in Puerto Rico doubles for Cuba),excellent music(albeit scarcely that of the 1950's) and a solid cast, with a particularly believable and charismatic male lead in Diego Luna as Javier.Even baring in mind the requirements of the part, Garai retains her reserve for perhaps a little too long and so there are not as many scenes of them really enjoying themselves together as might be wished- but those there are really sizzle.Whilst the film can seem rushed at times and let down by its script towards the end,it is ultimately saved by the warmth and energy of it's young cast and is an overall entertaining mood raiser for cold,wintry days.
I think Diego Luna and Romola Garai dance great together.The storyline was good.
Diego Luna looks like he dances all the time.
Romola Garai and Diego Luna have great chemistry dancing and romancing together but Garais' acting and the storyline could have been better but overall its a sexy and entertaining movie.
and Diego Luna is so hot in this movie.the plot, the music, the characters and the background of this movie are just so interesting.I definitely think that dirty dancing Havana nights is way better than the original.
I want to say that I don't understand why the movie is called "Dirty dancing 2: Havana nights"...
The movie has nothing to do with the original "Dirty dancing".
But if you don't think about "Dirty dancing" when you see "Havana nights", it is really a great movie...
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004) Diego Luna, Romola Garai, Sela Ward, John Slattery, Jonathan Jackson, January Jones, Mike Boorem, Patrick Swayze, D: Guy Ferland.
It's the first time when I feel something like this and probably I feel this until next movie Dirty Dancing 3.
And something else, if you like Cuban music and a good act, you may like to watch a completely different movie, set in Cuba, called the Lost City, directed and starring Andie Garcia..
Enjoyed the original Dirty Dancing movie and just found the Havana Nights one by accident.
But Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights is a brilliant version of the original, and i always choose this over any other film when i want to feel good!
It runs at a fast, smooth pace and the dancing and music is sizzling, so much more energetic than the original, and the story has so much more depth and realism to it, considering it's based on true events.Romola Garai is an excellent actress and there is not one character in this film who doesn't play their part excellently, the whole setting is also fabulous, and the choreography the best i've seen in a long time in a movie.So go watch this movie, you'll regret it if you don't!
I fell in love with Diego Luna & I've probably watched the movie 15 times already !!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
Dirty Dancing and Dirty Dancing Havana Nights are two great movies and i think people are going to be watching them for along time i know i will.
after watching the movie it made me want to learn how to do ballroom dancing especially Latin ballroom dancing.....and the lead actress is very good.....i like her moves, sultry, sexy, great dancer......soundtrack is surely something to look forward to owning.....i'll look for that at the nearest record bar, you bet....even my daughter loved it!.....she danced too!.....haven't seen the original though but i trust the commentators that this might be better than the original...
i like how it is a classic love story between an American girl dreaming about college and a Cuban guy that loves to dance and how they end up falling in love over the beat of the music!!!
it is even better than the original dirty dancing movie with Swayze and Grey.
You can't do a prequel to such an awesome movie like "Dirty Dancing!" But you can!
I thought that this was a very good movie but underrated by many.Diego Luna feels like he was born for this role and Romola Garai was wonderful.