Dance with Me

F Watchlist

The film

Out at an amusement park with her niece, Shizuka accepts to be hypnotized. Upon waking up, she realises something is off: she cannot resist the urge to dance and sing along as soon as she hears music. Ironic, given the office worker’s utter disdain for musicals. To lift this ever more embarrassing curse, Shizuka tries to track down the hypnotizer, who has of course vanished.

For our greatest pleasure – but not so much the protagonist’s –, DANCE WITH ME resurrects the golden age of Hollywood and Japanese musicals. Working as the missing link between those two genres, the film exudes energy and a devastating enthusiasm to manipulate its tropes in a playful manner. Colourful dance numbers abound, and smart comedy propels a story that pokes light fun at its protagonist and her socio-professional environment.

The director

Born in 1967, Shinobu Yaguchi is a major figure in Japanese comedies. In his film WATERBOYS (2001), a high school boys’ swimming team unintendedly partake in a synchronized swimming competition. It proved so successful that Fuji TV turned it into a TV show. His films are original, truly funny, and tackle a wide diversity of important themes – just think of the hilarious ROBO-G and its cardboard robots.

Selected filmography

1999 – ADRENALINE DRIVE

2001 – WATERBOYS

2004 – SWING GIRLS

2005 – HAPPY FLIGHT

2012 – ROBO-G

2014 – WOOD JOB!

2017 – SURVIVAL FAMILY