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Take the Lead
3.5 of 4 Stars
Running Time: 108 min.
Release Date: April 7th, 2006 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for thematic material, language and some violence.
Distributors: New Line Cinema
Starring: Antonio Banderas, Rob Brown, Yaya DaCosta, Dante Basco, John
Ortiz
Directed by: Liz Friedlander
Produced by: Diane Nabatoff, Christopher Godsick, Michelle Grace
"Take the Lead" is probably the most surprising movie of the year. In many
aspect this should be the predictable and stereotypical inner city drama
however the director and writer bring together and fresh and cool flavor to the
genre. We have a common trend that really brought music back to the movie
screen. With movies like "Bring it On, Drumeline, You Got Served" and now
"Take the Lead". Take the Leads breaks the stereotypical dramatic
undertones that all white people are the devil and that people need to not
focus on race but responsibility.
"Take the Lead" is the story of a dance instructor (Dulaine) in New York City
who not only has a passion for dance, but a passion for people as well. His
desires transcend beyond his own little world of Gershwin and Lena Horn and
take us into the true heart of one human being's desire to see change in a
group of kids. He volunteers to teacher in a local high school detention study
class, and instead of teaching math and science , he starts to attempt to
teach his love for dancing. The group of kids are primarily black students
with a small handful of other ethnicities. Being that Dulaine arrives in a suit
and appears to be nothing close black, he has instant marks against him. He
must break past both the financial and ethnic boundaries that divide them,
showing the students that he is there to befriend them and not to judge them.
As he earns the students trust, he introduces music to them, that almost
make them want to vomit. The lyrics are not snappy, full of spice and
certainly do not have the beat that the kids are used to, however Dulaine,
continues on, trying to teach them his passion for the music. The students
begin to warm up to the idea of his music but at the same time, introduce
some of their own style. Together the two become one and the flavor is one
that leaves you wanting more. Eventually Dulaine wants them to join in a
classic dance competition which is comprised mostly of upper crust white
people who have never stepped across the tracks.
OK, if you grew up in my generation in Los Angeles you would see the first
generation of rappers and break dancers at the local parks. In fact they
would bring their "Rap Mats" and have throw downs right in plain site. It was
primarily Mexican where I was at, but then you would have a share of black,
white and some Asian. Watching the talent of the spin, the moves and the
dance was amazing. I have always said that break dancing would come back
and indeed it has. I totally admit that my friends and I would try and emulate
what we saw. Standing on my head with my friend twirling me in circles was
the closet I could ever get to "breaking". Than again, other than Eminem,
white guys really cannot rap.
Now that my trip down to memory lane is over, I have to tell you what I just
loved about this movie. The fact that the male figure was not the standard
issue Hollywood woose, but someone who has strength, leadership and moral
character. For one of the first times in the modern decade, we have a teen
drama that is not full of sex, but rather stature. In almost every teen movie
today, you have a couple of the main characters shaken up or you have one
of the kids in sexual parel. Thankfully this movie is void of both. This movie
shows that adult leadership is a good thing, no matter what color you are.
Dulaine uses dance to teach the men and women respect for themselves, to
the others body and uses dance as an expression of the heart and not the
genitals . Dulaine also uses dance as a vehicle to break past racial lines.
"Take the Lead" is a very raw and realistic portrayal of inner city life and
because of that, some of the language and there is a fair share of mild sexual
jokes. I honestly did not look at the jokes as offensive because they were
showing the here and after of rebellion and respect. What the movie showed
in the way of innuendos were realistic and necessary for the film and the
message.
This movie will probably get bombed by many of the reviewers because the
message is more of a conservative. This movie was not your typical Spike
Lee "every white man sucks" picture but a movie that said, "get over it and
lets work together to make things happen". This movie talks about people
taking responsibility for themselves and in return reaping a reward that is far
beyond what they could have imagined. This movie is about promise and
hope, rather and persecution and seclusion.
FYI, there was a huge applaud after the movie, that usually says the movie is
pretty good.
Warning to Parents: Some innuendo and crude jokes and some rough
language. PG-13 is certainly deserving. The delivery of the language is not
however out of context and it is necessary to the plot and morals of the
movie. I say anyone above 13 would be in the right age bracket for this film.
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