If you were charmed by last year's documentary Mad Hot Ballroom, with its depiction of the positive effects of ballroom dance on young urban students, this story of the man behind that school program is just for you.
Actually, there is much to enjoy in Take the Lead, which was inspired by events in the life of instructor Pierre Dulaine though it raises the student age level to high school. First, there's Antonio Banderas, whose committed performance as Dulaine ranks with his best work. Then there's the strong message about how dance can impart trust, dignity and respect. And, finally, there's the appeal of characters succeeding brilliantly after everyone consigns them to failure.
Dianne Houston's screenplay centers on how Dulaine gets permission from Augustine James (Alfre Woodard), the principal of a New York inner-city high school, to teach ballroom dancing to the troubled students.
He makes the offer after seeing James' car get trashed by student Rock (Rob Brown), who is put up to the act by shady gang members who, we later learn, were implicated in his brother's death.
Rock is one of the regulars in the high school detention hall when, amid much derision, the dapper, courtly Dulaine firmly lays out his game plan. (Dulaine recognizes Rock but keeps his secret, somehow intuiting that the young man is decent and will someday come clean about the car incident.)
Naturally, the kids are much more interested in rap and hip-hop than Gershwin or Porter. (But the film cleverly keeps an even balance between the two disparate sounds, starting with the opening credits which meld a Lena Horne standard with rap.) You just know the narrative will lead to a fusion of musical — and dancing — styles.
Slowly but surely, the students fall in step (literally), with some amusingly mismatched pairs working together in reasonable harmony. Some of the teachers, including the humorless Mr. Temple (John Ortiz), object to Dulaine's methods, but the latter's strong convictions prevail.
Romance comes in the unlikely alliance between the brooding Rock and dance partner LaRhette (Yaya DaCosta), who start off totally at odds with each other. Though there's nothing overtly sexual, LaRhette's apartment is frequented by her (prostitute?) mother's gentlemen friends, one of whom makes inappropriate advances to the girl but is quickly rebuffed. Rock's home life, we learn, is also deeply troubled, with a drug-addict mother and abusive father.
The film's climax is the citywide ballroom competition where they compete with the dance studio snobs.
Music video director Liz Friedlander makes an assured feature film debut despite the formulaic plot, and has elicited good performances from all, including Dante Basco, Laura Benanti, Brandon Andrews, Marcus T. Paulk and Jenna Dewan. It would have been nice if we could see more virtuoso dancing by the principals but that's a small carp.
The language is sometimes salty as befits the tough inner-city milieu, and there's a smattering of violence, as Rock struggles to overcome his environment. But, apart from this cautionary note, this is a feel-good film with a great message that young people should see.
The film contains some crude language and expressions, implied prostitution, an amorous advance to a minor, a vulgar gesture, violent car vandalism and gunplay, which preclude viewing by younger adolescents. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
(This review appears courtesy of US Conference of Catholic Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting.)
