Shall We Dansu? (1996) Shall We Dance?

Directed by Masayuki Suo

Starring Kji Yakusho, Tamiyo Kusakari

Who would have thought?

Who would have thought that a slight romcom set in the world of ballroom dancing could be so entertaining? Not me for sure but Shall We Dansu? proved me wrong, despite all the clichs in the book albeit subdued as only the Japanese seem to know how this a pleasure to watch. 

Shohei Sugiyama is an office manager, married with a teenage daughter and mortgaged to the hilt, normally he goes straight from work to home by train but one evening he is bewitched by the vision of a dance instructor whom he espies from the train window. Encouraged by his wife to get out and enjoy himself and with Mai (the instructor) on his mind he enrolls for lessons in ballroom dancing. A couple of other men join at the same time, one because he wants to surprise his wife who is already a more than capable dancer and one who is very overweight and is taking up dancing on his doctors orders to get more exercise, needless to say Sugiyama is told by Mai in no uncertain terms that if the reason he enrolled was to try it on with her then he may as well pack up now, to her surprise (and his) he continues and actually starts enjoying the dancing. 

Meanwhile his wife is so worried that hes gone so often that she hires private detectives to start following him hoping that hes not having an affair, needless to say shes more than a little surprised to learn of his addiction to dancing, as its something theyve never done together. 

The story then carries on to a dancing competition where things take a few unexpected twists with the conclusion that certain people realise their dreams, and Mai decides to get back into competition dancing, all in all a happy end for everyone.

The film is at most times incredibly subtle and unfortunately Ill now have to force myself to watch the US remake just to see how different it is.

An unexpected pleasure and as such, recommended viewing.

For another opinion please read justindeimen's review .

Cheers Trev

BBFC rated PG.