Cheap The Dancer Upstairs (Video) (Javier Bardem, Juan Diego Botto, Laura Morante) (John Malkovich) Price

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Customer Reviews of The Dancer Upstairs

Javier Bardem ("Night Must Fall") gives a richly textured performance as Detective Augustin Rejas, a man of principle and ethics operating in a world of corruption and violence. Rejas finds himself embroiled in a life-and-death mystery when he investigates an underground terrorist organization that is targeting key government officials for assassination. Who these people are is not at all clear to those in charge and even their motives can only be guessed at. As Rejas studies the clues in search of answers, he becomes drawn to a beautiful young dance teacher with whom he establishes a platonic yet highly charged romantic relationship. It is in the bringing together of these two seemingly disparate plot lines that the movie fails, ultimately, to satisfy. For roughly the first three quarters of the film, as Rejas collects his evidence and unravels the puzzle, we gladly go along where the filmmakers are taking us, fascinated by the setting, the atmosphere and the contemporary relevance of the terrorism theme. But when, towards the end, the story kicks into high tragedy mode, the movie loses us, partly because the plotting itself is not particularly credible and partly because the relationship between Rejas and the woman has not been sufficiently developed to achieve the status of genuine tragedy. The film is much better when it sticks to the business of the case and leaves all the existential navel-gazing out of the mix.

This is not to demean either the moving, beautifully modulated performance of Bardem or the stark, self-assured direction of Malkovich, who shows he knows how to function as well behind the camera as he does in front. True, the film is a trifle slow at times but this just shows that Malkovich will not be rushed when the material itself demands deliberation and care. Although the movie is about a half hour too long, real languor begins to set in only during the final stretches. Until then, "The Dancer Upstairs" makes for rewarding viewing.

Intelligent and subtle film debut for John Malkovich
THE DANCER UPSTAIRS is a fine example of how films conceived and produced by this country can have all the qualities we honor (and hunger for) in foreign films. Based on true events in the late 1980's in Peru, THE DANCER UPSTAIRS is adapted for the screen from the novel by the same name by the author - Nicholas Shakespeare. The story itself is one of extremes in terror, murder, heinous crimes, and all that is associated with terroist activities in a revolutionary framework. Yet Shakespeare has written a screenplay that focuses more on minds of his characters than on their acts. The 'revolutionary' is a professor of philosophy and his nemesis, tracing his identity and capture, is a thinking man's policeman - a lawyer who turned in his black robes to find a better way to discover honesty. Although Malkovich does not spare images that convey the atrocities (children as suicide bombers, slaughtered dogs hanging from the street lamps, mafia-style executions), he does not dwell on them but rather focuses on the impact on the mind of his lead detective. Javier Bardem is the lead actor here and surpasses his previous successes by demonstrating that he is a 'work in progress' - an actor who grows with every difficult assignment he encounters. His sidekick is well acted by Juan Diego Botto, an actor who knows the subtlties of 'supporting role'. The lead women actors, Laura Morente(as the dancer of the title) and Alexandra Lancastre (as Bardem's wife), are as subtle as they are beautiful, making us believe in the inevitable proof of Bardem's human frailty as he forges his imperturable trail toward justice.

The accompanying featurettes are involving conversations and commentaries by Nicholas Shakespeare (who actually lived in Lima, Peru while the 'Shining Path' revolution he describes actually was taking place), by John Malkovich regarding his choices of electing to cast his film with an entirely Spanish speaking crew yet speaking in English and for not naming the country or the particular timeframe of the story which he hopes will make the story more a parable than a docudrama, and by Javier Bardem who addresses the difficulties of keeping his character cerebral. And for once these features truly enhance the film's message.

It is refreshing to know that movies of this caliber exist and that, hopefully, Malkovich will continue his brave stance as a director of consummate taste and subtlety. Highly Recommended, but be prepared to think.

An Elegant and Moody Thriller
In "The Dancer Upstairs," John Malkovich delivers a complex, moody crime drama set in a Latin American city. Ambivalent police captain Rejas (Javier Bardem) is assigned to track down Ezequiel, an elusive revolutionary terrorist, and his followers. As explosions rage around the city, Rejas and his team race to discover the identity of their man. Unlike an ordinary cop drama, the film gives Rejas's personal life weight. He is caught in a listless marriage and falls in love with his daughter's ballet teacher Yolanda, well played by Laura Morante. In this film, however, nothing is cut-and-dried, and even Rejas's emotional attachment to Yolanda has its dark twists.

Although the plot itself is suspenseful, much of the tension in this film is created through cinematography and directorial decisions - close-ups, shots of the setting, the use of color, the spare music. The acting is understated, making the few outbursts explosive in context. Bardem has so carefully drawn his character under his skin that he conveys a range of emotions through his expressions and gestures, giving his character a subtly only gifted actors can achieve.

My biggest complaint about this film was the heavily accented actors speaking in English. I'm sure I missed some of the complexity simply because I couldn't understand all of what was being said. I would have much preferred a Spanish language film with subtitles, an appropriate choice given the setting and the performers. It has all the feel of a foreign film, so why not go all the way?

Viewers who expect a Hollywood thriller should look elsewhere, as this might be best described as a well-plotted art house film. I highly recommend it for those who are willing to accept the slower pace of psychological intensity.