Dance With Me . Tucson Weekly . 09-08-98

Dance With Me

DIRECTED BY: Randa Haines

REVIEWED: 09-08-98

In this piece that appears to have been penned by a standardized script-writing computer, a beautiful Cuban youth comes to America to find his father, the girl of his dreams, and a career as a celebrated ballroom dancer. I wonder if he will succeed?! The editing is perhaps the most atrocious I've ever seen in a big-budget production. One phone conversation is doubled in length by the fact that director Randa Haines can't seem to cut away from the last speaker fast enough, alternately leaving Vanessa Williams and male lead Chayanne standing there with strained "can we cut now?" expressions on their faces for several seconds after they speak each line. Even worse is the cinematography: The dance scenes are all shot in close-up. This travesty made me want to ask Haines if the word "duh" meant anything to her. All she had to do was rent any Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire movie to see how to shoot people dancing. Here's a clue: Include their feet in the shot; and while you're at it, why not include the rest of their bodies? Other than the fact that it successfully creates the illusion of movement through the rapid succession of still images, this film is a complete and utter waste of time.

--DiGiovanna

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