Take The Lead Movie
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592x312 | 744.37 MiB | divx | |
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Storyline
TAGLINES
Never Follow.
Based on a true story, the movie tells of the struggle of a dance teacher, Pierre Dulain (Antonio Banderas), to give to a group of problem kids a second chance by exploring their dance skills. One night Dulain is astonished to see a boy, Rock (Rob Brown) destroying his school director's car. The following day Dulaine goes to the school to ask for a job as a dance teacher. The director has little confidence in Dulaine's idea of helping kids (including Rock) in detention to reform through ballroom dance classes. Even the kids, who prefer hip-hop or rap, think it isn't a great idea. Despite criticism from students in his formal dance academy as well as from parents and fellow teachers who believe that the kids need more math and less dance, Dulain catches the students' attention with a tango session. After their initial indifference, they eventually compete in a dance contest; the important thing isn't winning, but making a difference.
| Antonio Banderas | Pierre Dulaine |
| Rob Brown | Rock |
| Yaya DaCosta | LaRhette |
| Alfre Woodard | Principal Augustine James |
| John Ortiz | Joe Temple |
| Laura Benanti | Tina |
| Jonathan Malen | Kurd |
| Jasika Nicole | Egypt |
| Shawand Mckenzie | Big Girl |
| Dante Basco | Ramos |
| Elijah Kelley | Danjou |
| Jenna Dewan | Sasha |
| Marcus T. Paulk | Eddie |
| Brandon D. Andrews | Monster |
| Lauren Collins | Caitlin |
| Liz Friedlander |
6.60 out of 10 (4535 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Rob Brown and YaYa DaCosta
posted on 21 Aug 2009The script was on the predictable side but the performances of these two emerging actors elevated it so many levels. Their on screen chemistry was intoxicating, yet tasteful and sweet. Rob Brown is such a commanding presence--he could act in his sleep. I see an Academy Award in his future. And Yaya DaCosta showed much more depth than most would imagined she could. If modeling doesn't work out, she certainly has a career on screen. She's a breathtaking girl and a convincing actress. The capable performances of Antonio Banderas and Alfre Woodard (not Angela Bassett) alone are worth seeing and the dance finale is noteworthy. But the love story between the rival high school students (Da Costa and Brown) was definitely an interesting twist on a well-worn tale, but hands down my favorite part of the film!
Very Entertaining and Based on a True Story
posted on 11 Aug 2009In New York, the polite dance instructor Pierre Dulaine (Antonio Banderas) sees a black teenager vandalizing the car of the director of a public school and on the next day he volunteers to teach dance to students to give respect, dignity, self-confidence, trust and teamwork. The reluctant director Augustine James (Alfre Woodard) offers the troublemakers that are in detention expecting Pierre to give-up of his intentions. Pierre struggles against the prejudice and ignorance of the students, parents and other teachers, but wins his battle when the group accepts to compete in a ballroom dance contest.Movies of dance are usually attractive, and the entertaining "Take the Lead" is no exception. However, this feature is more important because it is based on a true story of a man that has decided to make a difference, helping poor students to see life with another perspective. Antonio Banderas shows again that he is a "complete" actor, capable of performing the most different roles. The real Pierre Dulaine deserves this homage for the importance of his gesture and action. Jenna Dewan, from "Step-up" and the sexy Katya Virshilas are stunning dancers and the actors and actresses present wonderful choreographic dances. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Vem Dançar" ("Come to Dance")
Better Luck Next Time
posted on 03 Aug 2009The flaws that other Amazon reviewers point out regarding this movie are well taken, so read them and weep. "Take the Lead" is derivative, formulaic, and ________ (fill in cliche of your choice). But what disturbed me most is its breezy disrespect of women. Yes I know that's 'cliche' too, but here the callous contempt was especially off-putting, in its various and sundried forms. From the openly hostile behavior of the students to the chivalrous-to-a-fault behavior of the dance instructor, women are objectified as being something other than human. Just for starters, what pushed the character of "Rock" over the edge into extreme mayhem and vandalism in the opening sequence? Answer: His "friends" called him by a vulgar term meaning "woman". (What could be more 'insulting' than that?) That moment early on is comparable to a gun firing at the start of a race: "And they're OFF!"
The separate feature on the DVD about Pierre Dulaine (the real deal) is entertaining and instructive, but I think that attempting to lend credence to "Take the Lead" by assigning Dulaine's name to the character of the dance instructor is bogus. Nevertheless, it must be said that Antonio Banderas is DA BOMB in the role; handsome and charming and show-stealing (does this make me a hypocrite? LOL), but as such, he's also a caricature. So are most of the other roles, for that matter. I don't think "Take the Lead" should be scrubbed altogether, but its script and subplots need to be reworked considerably. GRADE: 'C'
"Dirty Dancing" meets "Lean on Me" by way of "You got Served"
posted on 28 Jul 2009Well seems again those no good kids are about to learn a valuable life lesson through the art of dancing. Whenever you see a group of real gangster kids you know there is a well dressed hard-ass ready to teach the kids how to be successful and have rhythm. The idea has been done before, there is no originality whatsoever in any of the scenes made.If I can give it one complement it would be the dance scenes, they were well choreographed and took some skill to it for that I applaud. Otherwise, yawn, has nothing to it. Story focuses on a man (Banderas) who one afternoon teaches a few bad apples how to salsa and change their ways. "Take the Lead" has a less the choreographed plot to it other than a few cool moves on the dance floor. I don't no why Antonio Banderas keeps doing these bad movies "Spy Kids" and "Take the Lead", what happened to "Desperado", nowhere in sight. Sadly his career has fell flat on its face.---4/10
Still can't decide...
posted on 26 Jul 2009Take the Lead still perplexes me a little. Mainly because I can't figure out if I like it or not.
Yes, the plot is pretty tired. the whole 'good-guy-teacher/coach-inspires-JD/poor/messed up-teens' thing has been done over... and over... and over again. And the romance between the two students is sweet, but not really all that... believable. We don't see any sort of transition between "i HATE you!" and "well... ok... maybe I like you a little bit. Ok, a lot. Let's dance!". The dialogue itself is a little stupid, and the scenes don't really seem to flow together at all. (The red-head with cornrows suddenly bursts into Antonio Banderas' apartment for no apparent reason, stays long enough to ask about the picture of Banderas' wife (LOOKIT ME, I'M A PLOT POINT) and then leaves. I get why it happened, but it could've been done with more grace, i think.
but... on the other hand...
stupid other hand! I could be resolved to really hate this movie! But it does have its good points. All the other students are sharp, and funny despite the really unfortunate lines given to them. and the dancing! Oh, the dancing! It's amazing! The last tango, of course, but every other dance in the movie just flows beautifully.
I don't think I'll own this movie, since I can't really see myself watching it again. but... on the other hand... it really is almost a feel-good movie. Almost. A little bit. So i still haven't made up my mind. *sigh*
You can get what you want.
posted on 24 Jul 2009Yes, I know another teacher in the ghetto movie, but this one is really good.Antonio Banderas is fantastic as a dance instructor who want to teach things like respect and courtesy through ballroom dancing. You know, of course, how it will turn out. All of these movies end the dame, whether it is To Sir With Love or Stand and Deliver or Lean on Me. There are classes all over New York and moving across the country following the lead of Pierre Dulaine.It is the music that really makes this film - a combination of ballroom tunes and rap. The energy is continuous. The tango in the classroom was exquisite.There are a lot of interesting characters in this film, as there always is with this type of work. You will enjoy them all.
It couldn't be worst
posted on 12 Jul 2009I'm gonna start by saying that the only reason why I went to all the trouble of opening an account in this site so I could publicly complain about this movie. I was watching it a while ago and I just couldn't stop laughing out loud during the whole thing, since it's just unbelievable the amount of nonsense and common places just one single film can come up with. Although it is to be remarked that the dancing is sincerely amazing (which is why I gave it a 2), that doesn't make up for the fact that the rest of the movie is just an insult to both the viewer's intelligence and the art of story-telling altogether. If there was a competition to decide which script in the history of the film industry contains the highest number of clichés in the world, this one would definitively "take the lead" of it and leave all the rest of them behind. Honestly, I just couldn't believe it: when this movie was written, someone must have been following the how-to-make-a-corny-movie recipe, because absolutely all of the ingredients are to be found in this film. We have: 1) The authority: a mean and not-so-cold-hearted school principal, who pretends to be to tough to care but in the end proves that deep down she has feelings and all. 2)The hero: a sweet well intentioned dance teacher, who apparently has way too much free time and money in his hands. 3) The ones who are saved by the hero: an outcast group of annoyingly stereotypical minority examples, such as hispanic, obese and black people who have to deal with all sorts of dramatic issues: there's the drug related murder, the alcoholic father, the mother who has to prostitute herself to feed her children and the abandon father. Of course, all this kids go out of their ways to be "better than that". Yet, they are all in detention. 4) The nemesis: a science teacher who not only doesn't give a damn about this unfortunate children, but even manages to get the school PTA (mean bastards, the lot of them) against the dance classes, as if the parent and teachers didn't have anything better to deal with, given the fact that half of the students seem to be nothing but potential criminals. 5) The mean blonde (very blond. Stereotype contrast is everything here), who looks down at the lot because they are poor and not American. Hence, a bunch of losers. 6) The blonde who's not mean: an upper-class teenager (as white as white paint can be) with way too many issues to even talk about them. Risks her head joining the ghetto dance class but gets away with it and ends up hooking up with an obese black guy who everyone calls "monster". Her mother's gonna be proud. 7) The drama moment: the final scene where all of the above (yes, the principal too) come together in a dance contest that the for-some-reason-loaded dance teacher manages to get them into by paying a fortune. They don't win (that would have been way too much) but they do learn the lesson: "go for your dreams", "don't never give up", "we're all the same", whatever other cheesy thing you might think of. To all of this, I would just like to add the fact that the whole movie lacks of any kind of deepness in regards of the serious issues it pretends to deal with, it's boring, predictable and just as flat as a white sheet. Don't waste your time on this film; if you wanna see dancing moves, just go watch high school musical or something like that.
One of the Best Dance Movies Ever!
posted on 10 Jul 2009Okay, technically, there aren't a lot of dance movies out there. There's only Dirty Dancing, Dirting Dancing; Havana Nights, Strictly Ballroom, and this movie, and they are all great.But it might just me, because, in my opinion, all dance movies are good, because, duh, there's dancing in it!But this movie is about more than just dancing. If you don't know, this movie is about a ballroom dancer (Banderas) who wants to teach a group of social misfits how to ballroom dance during detention. But unlike Strictly Ballroom and others, it doesn't just follow one person, and it has multiple conflicts. You don't just see them improve their dancing, you see them improve as a person. It has a bit of Dirty Dancing; Havana Nights type of dancing, in the sense that they mesh different types of dancing together, coming up with a controversial, but beautiful dance. They end it satisfying, and the dancing is so amazing! Definitely a movie to see. Over and over again!
embarrassing editing
posted on 26 Jun 2009most embarrassing example of careless editing/shooting i've ever seen for a studio release.the boom mic is visible in at least 30 shots throughout the "film," nullifying the effect of some admittedly-creative camera work.as the entire theatre murmured and snickered every time the mic dangled in and out of the frame, i couldn't help but wonder how any exec (let alone antonio banderas) could allow such an oversight to go to release.typical "dangerous minds," "sister act 2"-type clichés...but what do you expect, i suppose.the pace of the movie is curious, as it lingers in some dull spots, yet fast-forwards ahead, turning rookies to professional-calibre tango dancers in about 8 minutes.yeah, yeah...my girlfriend wanted me to see it with her.
Not what you've expected.
posted on 26 Jun 2009There are so many good films being released and so many formulaic films like these are released that it seems like we can do without a film like TAKE THE LEAD.But guess what,this ain't your average coming-of-age inspiring story.This is rather more fun and effective drama powered by fantastic dance sequences,with the aid of Benderas who leads the kids.The entire film depends on Benderas' energy and wit.He fills the film with energy and wit and excites everyone in the film.I really enjoyed the superbly choreographed dance sequences as it brings about different cultures together and shows how much fun it could be.It's really enthralling.A finely made entertaining film with a different treatment to an old formula.Surprise is on their side.
Do we need anymore films like this?
posted on 24 Jun 2009Of course we do. Though squeezed excessively by Hollywood, movies like this have a meaning. There are only so many original plots in the world. Furthermore, this is based on a true story, so there's no real stealing involved.However, some parts of the movie were over exaggerated to induce humor, and consequently some actors did not perform as good as they could have. Overall though, there was no terrible acting from anyone. And a lot of great dancing. Some of the camera usage was just phenomenal! For anyone who loves to dance, or appreciate arts, this is an awesome movie. That three person scene at the end was hot! If you go in with hopes of being entertained, then you will be. Just don't go in with the attitude: "Oh, now he's going to gain their trust, How old!". This is a good movie overall, even though there were some parts that could be improved. Give it a try!
Great Film
posted on 14 Jun 2009I, for one, thought this was an excellent movie! True, it does have a familiar plot, but that does not at all distract from the true intention of the film. If I had to categorize it, I would say it's a seamless mix between Dangerous Minds and Save the Last Dance. However, unlike those, this is a TRUE story. This is not some script that came from someone's head, it really happened. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who loves a great story. This movie is very inspirational and has phenomenal music to boot. I was dancing in my seat. So forget what you think you know, and just give this film a chance. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
A very nice Surprise.
posted on 06 Jun 2009I know been there and seen that. However, Take the Lead is a very pleasant surprise and yes you may be able to figure out the storyline. Antonio Banderas is expressive and well when you look at him who can turn away. The cast is very talented, great soundtrack and dance scenes in this movie.This is a movie the entire family can enjoy together. Take a chance, you will not regret it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Leads By Far!
posted on 06 Jun 2009Something basic as manners and courtesy leading to respect and proper conduct all from learning to TANGO, cha-cha-cha/Ole! Antonio Banderas was marvellous as the real life Dulaine, and although I see he had a stunt double, I do believe that Antonio can not only cut a rug but probably stitch it back together with his toes...A case of "Dangerous Minds" with Michelle Pfeiffer and "Only The Strong" with Mark DaCascos meeting "Strictly Ballroom" from Australia and "Dirty Dancing" with Patrick Swayze - thanks to Antonio, the tango will never be the same for me! Wow...It took a while to realise one of the kids Antonio/Dulaine turned around was the teen from "Finding Forrester" with Sean Connery, while I realise that "Take The Lead" is based on a true story like "Dangerous Minds" I nevertheless wonder how far the original is from the movie? I learned the real "Sound Of Music" was quite different from the film - maybe that's the pleasure, not really understanding and just going with the flow! This picture as a DVD is also good for beginning dancers, I just can't wait when it reaches that stage!
A mix of many films
posted on 06 Jun 2009My opinion maybe biased seeing as i knew i would have enjoyed this film the second i saw it commercialised. But i do believe this is an underrated film which maybe didn't receive the credit it deserved. For me i believe it was almost a merge between these films: Honey, Save the last dance and Coach Carter.Because Mr. Aulaine coaches these rebellious youths dance. But he doesn't get payed, he does it ventre and he brought up in a wealthy area. It's quite cliché and stereotypical because at first these children hate the idea and only know of RnB (no surprise lol) but the children merge the dances together and begin enjoying it.Through the film good minor story lines are added in to give almost every character real depth. It doesn't focus on one character which i think makes it effective. If you are someone who likes dance films then i certainly recommend this for you!! Okay the end is no surprise and even though they all have troubles in the film it ends with cheers and smiles and all those tyrant youths smile as they are accepted by others who had judged them. So it's based on a true story where this man gets these children to accomplish something unexpected.
Not original but has good life lessons
posted on 27 May 2009The first time I heard about this movie was on IMDb. I've learned how to dance salsa and swing in the past year, so when I heard about this movie, I was more interested in watching professional dancers on screen. Dancing is intoxicating to me, so the idea of watching pro dancers strut their stuff is very satisfying.I've read the comments here and even pointed out myself that this movie isn't original at all. You have a do-gooder in Pierre Dulaine (Antonio Banderas) working with troubled inner city kids, taking them away from their hip-hop culture and helping them learn ballroom dancing. Sounds like a lofty proposition, but does it work? Watch the movie and find out.Pierre is an interesting fellow because he truly has nothing to gain. He has nice upscale dancing studio, it's apparent it generates a nice income for him. But after a chance encounter with a hoodlum high schooler, he realizes the power dancing can have on people. He takes it upon himself to teach ballroom dancing to the most troubled kids in an inner city public school.That's pretty much the focus of the movie. These kids find a new focus that takes them away from their crime ridden and troubled home lives. You don't really get too much into character development of each kid, you just see how they are forced to open their minds to something new. So what's lacking in character development is made up in the dance sequences. The dance moves these people perform is amazing and I found those sequences absolutely breathtaking.The one scene that jumps out is when Pierre is forced into a parent teacher conference to explain what he's doing. Parents and teachers think these kids should be spending detention doing homework, tutoring, anything but dancing. The scene does a good job of showing the power of dancing. To avoid being general, when you learn how to dance, you learn how to communicate with your partner, you develop an unspoken bond. You learn "respect" for your partner and if you respect your partner, you're less likely to get them pregnant, abandon them, and you'll learn how to properly treat them as a human being. When you're able to dance well with someone else, it's amazing what kind of a bond you can create with them, even if this bond is unspoken.I think it shows how "manly" dancing actually is. For some reason, many men believe that dancing is girly and almost feminine. Somehow knowing how to dance, in the eyes of some men, is deemed as tough as learning ballet. Tell you what, there is nothing more manly and assertive than knowing how to guide a woman on the dance floor. You don't have to mashing heads with another guy or destroying things to prove you have a ton of testosterone. This movie does a great job of illustrating how "manly" and powerful dancing can be.This movie is focused on the dance sequences rather than the characters. Though the movie is decently acted, the plot is nothing great and I have no problem with that. So many reviewers believe a movie has to have outstanding characters and an original plot to be effective. This movie lacks those elements and the focus is on the power of dancing and that spoke volumes to me.
Oh my God!!!!!!!!!!!
posted on 23 May 2009This movie truly outstands me. It is a great blend of young actors and experienced entertainers. It is one of the best movies of its format and it truly stands out in the whole danced theme movies. The directing is amazing and the music video experience of Liz. Every scene makes me want to keep watching. The writing is a bit cliché but it works. The young actors bring inspiration to their roles especially YAYA DACOSTA she really stood out in the cast and that girl can dance, and she is so beautiful. She truly owned the screen and i can't wait to see more of her presence in Movies. I heard she was model which totally shows when she is in front of the camera. The storyline is so good and the dancing totally ROCKs, u can tell these are trained dancers and Antonio Banderas truly amazed me in this role. The music is so uplifting and is so very good. My advice is to ignore the critics that have bashed this film because i know i have never seen them in front or behind a camera doing a masterpiece like this. This movie should get Razzie though not for acting, but for the Editin I truly love this film and i'm seeing it over and over again. I saw it in a film festival while i was in the states and the crowd seemed into the movie.go AND SEE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Movie gold
Will someone tell Antonio to stop mumbling all his lines?!
posted on 23 Aug 2009I bought this movie, expecting nothing new, and what did I get? Nothing new. Some reviewers have commented on the fact it's similar to all the other dance movies out there, but it's different enough to stand on its own. Er, no. The ballroom dancing is the only thing that makes it "different", otherwise it's exactly the same.
And the story is getting old now as well. I can think as far back as Dangerous Minds (hey, that's far back for me!), with the whole teacher trying to sort out teenage delinquents, and ending happily. (I haven't seen that film in years actually, must get it again.) The whole hip-hop dance thing has been done already, most notably to me in Save The Last Dance, with a ballet student incorporating hip-hop moves into her routine. There's also Step Up which was just out, and probably many others. There's also a very similar storyline to Sister Act 2 - look out for that.
I suppose the reason why I keep watching these movies is because I secretly wanted to be a dancer when I was young. But in hindsight, I never grew tall enough, and then I got curvy. I did go to dance classes, but I gave up, cos I was missing out on the afternoon cartoons. *ahem*
If you loved the film Hook, look out for one of the actors, Dante Basco, who plays Ramos and played Rufio in Hook! And he hasn't changed a bit, but the hair's got shorter. Unfortunately, he's now in his thirties & playing a teenager.
Overall, I don't think I would recommend this film. I stayed up to watch it cos I wasn't tired, so didn't get to bed til after midnight, and it was way too long! Too long for the type of film it is anyway.