The Dancer Upstairs **** (2002, Javier Bardem, Laura Morante, Abel Folk) – Classic Movie Review 1706

This tense and moody real-life 2002 Peru-set political thriller makes a superb directorial debut for actor John Malkovich, showing that he really understands actors, the drama and the cinema. It’s long (at 132 minutes) but gripping all the way and it’s easy to love this movie.

Javier Bardem is first rate as Detective Agustin Rejas, a married police detective lieutenant who gets involved with his daughter’s beautiful dance teacher Yolanda (Laura Morante) while he is on the trail of a terrorist revolutionary guerrilla boss, Ezequiel (Abel Folk).

Nicholas Shakespeare’s screenplay, based on his own novel, works efficiently and well, but José Luis Alcaine’s cinematography works like a dream. And there’s an outstanding score by Alberto Iglesias and Pedro Malgheas. Juan Diego Botto co-stars as Sucre. By 2014, it’s still Malkovich’s only film as director.

Rated R for strong violence, and for language.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1706

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