Review of Strictly Ballroom (1992) by Danielle J — 21 Dec 2008

Baz Luhrmann?s style is bluntly obvious. From ridiculous close ups of people?s faces in almost every single frame to the odd color scheme that makes it seem like you?re on a LSD trip. Most of the movie seems like its set on fast-forward, making it annoying and just plain noise. His style is not hip, it?s not fresh, and it?s certainly not creative, it?s just plain annoying. From the moment Strictly Ballroom started, I knew it was by the same guy who did Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet (both of which are extremely irritating movies) and I knew that I wasn?t going to like this film. I was correct.

Strictly Ballroom is practically a ball of predictable mess. From cardboard cutout characters like the perfect ballroom dancer, Scott, to the ugly (but wait! She?ll be pretty after a couple of dance montages!) beginner dancer, Fran. The campiness of the direction makes it hard to take these characters seriously. Fran has problems at home and Scott isn?t welcome there, but after they show off their dance skills, they magically become friends with the uptight brother who also knows how to dance. It seems like Luhrmann doesn?t want to throw rocks at his characters, they are barely challenged even by Scott?s stage mom, Shirley Hastings and the grump of the ballroom, Barry Fife. Even when his partner left him because he improvised some steps at a dance competition (oh no! He improvised!) it doesn?t even affect him. Predictably, Scott and Fran fall in ?tru lub?, dancing away at the Pan-Pacific Grand Prix, not caring if they when or lose. Ah, the power of love.

The direction is near horrific, being Baz Luhrmann?s first film, he tends to place characters in the middle of every single frame?wasn?t that a big no no, or is it okay because he?s being ?hip? and ?fresh?? When he isn?t raping cinematography, he is raping the actors. Doing close ups of their faces every five seconds is unflattering and honestly, looks stupid. The characters are ridiculous; they look like they popped out of a wacky music video from the 80s. He successfully uses almost every cliché in the book. From dull characters that only care about one thing, dancing, to the ugly girl that could be beautiful if she just got rid of the glasses.

One of the redeeming qualities of Strictly Ballroom is the soundtrack Luhrmann chose. From a cover to Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper to a cover of Cake's Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps. Even though the soundtrack was a great choice, it didn't help the romance develop at all. It was more corny than believable.

What Shall We Dansu? took as innocent and ?do what you love to do? kind of theme, Strictly Ballroom destroys. There isn?t much of a lesson learned here, again, while there appears to be a conflict between characters, Scott and Fran are barely nudged by it. Yes, Scott does ultimately learn that competition isn?t everything; the problem is that he knew that from the start. So while Scott and Fran are busy ?fighting the power?, it?s up Barry Fife and his mother to get the near-nonexistent plot moving again.