Time is a funny thing. Even Sean Connery had to hang up the snazzy suit and cut down on the shaken-not-stirred martinis. It appears as though Antonio Banderas is also realizing that he's not as young as he used to be. So in exchange for guns disguised as guitar cases and a pretty cool looking sword, he has taken up teaching a group of struggling inner-city kids how to ballroom dance. Though he will always be Zorro in our hearts, one cannot help but admit that the sexy accent works in this context as well.
In "Take the Lead," directed by Liz Friedlander, Pierre Dulaine (Banderas) runs an upscale dance academy to teach children of the elite how to flounce around in proper society. While enjoying the night air on his ever-so-European bike ride home, he happens to spy one disillusioned high school student, Rock (Rob Brown) vandalizing his principal's car under the heavy influence of peer pressure.
Dulaine takes it upon himself to confront the school directly about his discovery rather than notifying the authorities, but upon his fairly unpleasant
reception by the principal (Alfre Woodard), he uncovers a struggling faculty fighting to preserve some semblance of serenity in the lives of a student body plagued by drugs, alcoholism and violence.
His pristine suit and dignified European accent, not to mention his manners, win him an opportunity (basically a dare made in between laughs) to teach "the school rejects," a group of students locked in a basement detention, how to ballroom dance. From that moment on, the film follows Dulaine's interactions with the fortunate and the less fortunate, the talented and the untalented, the pig-headed and the eager as they grow and mature through the same medium: dance.
"Take the Lead" falls into the "family" genre: that underappreciated, feel-good, watch-with-your-folks group of films that put a smile on even the most unfeeling faces. With the existence of such classics as "The Sandlot" (1993), and "Sister Act" (1992), it seems impossible for anything recent to even compare. The new millennium experienced a bit of a dry spell in this area. Surprisingly, "Take the Lead" provides a refreshing revival of this much loved and very missed genre.
Though the documentary "Mad Hot Ballroom" (2005) has a similar storyline, the cast of "Take the Lead" sets it apart. The "school rejects," although occasionally plagued by the consequences of inexperience, work well as an ensemble. The relationships among the participants are hilarious as well as moving, especially when combined with Antonio Banderas' portrayal of Pierre Dulaine. His debonair attitude and refined appearance make his passionate transformation while dancing unforgettable. He convinces a group of delinquents to learn to swing, tango and foxtrot, and by the end every audience member wants to call the nearest dance studio.
Rob Brown as Rock, a stubborn kid toeing the line between success and a life of gang activity and theft, provides a convincing performance as well, although his character traits seem recycled. Brown appeared in "Finding Forrester" (2000) beside Sean Connery. Although Banderas replaced Connery's Scottish accent with a Spanish one, the plot line and character development is almost identical. In fact, Brown's performance in "Finding Forrester" is arguably more compelling.
Despite the flaws present in acting or presentation, there lies one unavoidable facet able to dissipate all negative perceptions: the dancing. Director Liz Friedlander commendably accents the movement of the dancers as well as the buzz of the city through cinematography. With a focus on the ever-so-dramatic Argentine tango, swing and the waltz, it is hard to concentrate on anything else but the constant, striking movements.
Naturally Antonio Banderas and Katya Virshilas as Morgan, the privileged dance prodigy of Dulaine's studio, perform beautifully. However, it is the "untalented rejects" that demonstrate truly heart-stopping routines. The film manages to preserve an amount of credibility within the students' progress. Not every student transforms into a professional dancer, for success is not the aim of Dulaine's program: rather, the goal is to instill an amount of respect and dignity within.
Though it is not a classic for the history books, "Take the Lead" gives an empowering account of a man able to prove that trust, dedication and cooperation can prevail in a world full of disappointment and dismay.
