Some might presume that, due to my writings and my often parenthetical references to a wide array of films from every nationality and genre, that I watch a lot of movies.

This would not be an erroneous presumption. My parents had a video store, which I worked in from middle school to freshman year in college. My father still works in the movie business, and all of us in my family are practically walking movie dictionaries.

Given all that, its probably not too shocking that I like to "talk movies" with friends, co-workers, and occasional random passers-by. These conversations can often manifest as odd peregrinations, as we move rapidly from topic to topic.

On the topic of great, over-looked first films of different directors, examples such as Bad Taste by Peter Jackson and the like were brought up. I happened to mention Strictly Ballroom by Aussie director Bas Luhrmann. Some of the people had never heard of the film, or even the director. I gave a brief plot synopsis, and mentioned the director also directed Moulin Rouge.

"Is he gay?" one in the group asked me.

"I don't know. Its not like I've met the guy. I'm pretty sure he's straight though; I seem to remember hearing about him screwing one of the stars of one of his movies. But I could be mistaking him for David Fincher.", I replied.

"Oh. I just figured, since Moulin Rouge seemed like a gay movie."

(For reference purposes, this person is a little skittish about homosexuality, and had, at one point, asserted that everyone in San Francisco must be gay.)

This essentially led to my rather sarcastic statement, wherein I agreed with him that any movie involving dancing whatsoever is clearly made exclusively for homosexual males, and that Patrick Swayze and Fred Astaire are obviously gay, because they committed the unforgiveable heterosexual sin of dancing in front of a camera.

"Who's Fred Astaire?" came in reply.

Fed up with this dialogue, I started into my usual admiring speech about the greatness of the movie Clerks, and resigned myself to knowing that some people just can't appreciate a good, old-fashioned "dancing movie".

Okay, so I've established that not everyone will like this movie, particularly those insecure about their masculinity. Before everyone yells at me to get to the point, I'll discuss the plot of the movie.

Strictly Ballroom is the tale of a handsome young man named Scott Hastings (Paul Mercurio), who is a competitive ballroom dancer. (Yes, laugh if you must.) He is the big hot-shot dancer at the dance studio of Les Kendall (Frank Whitford), the former dance partner of Scott's mother, Shirley (Pat Thomson). Apparently, the two had quite a bit of success, winning some major competitions back in their day. The two desperately want Scott to follow in their footsteps and win the Big Title.

Here's the problem (i.e., enter Conflict). Scott is...well, unorthodox, you could say. He's obviously a talented dancer, but competitive ballroom dancing is largely about adhering to a specific style. His integration of more contemporary styles of dance into his repertoire is, shall we say, frowned upon by the Federation holding the competition, the Federation President Barry Fife (Bill Hunter), his mother, his instructor, and his current dance partner Liz (Gia Carides).

This puts Scott in a bind. Liz is the epitome of the perfect partner: a lovely blonde with the appropriate level of grace, smoothness and techical skill to win him the title. She is undoubtedly his best shot at winning. But she's fed up with losing because of his non-conformity, and moves on to a new partner.

Based on his reputation, nobody with the faintest inkling of skill is interested in being his dance partner. The only person willing to give Scott half a chance is an awkward, kinda frumpy-looking young woman of questionable skill named Fran (Tara Morice).

From here, its pretty much what you would expect from this sort of film. Scott teaches her the technical aspects of dance as Fran reveals her background, revealing through her family her own experience with dance, teaching him a little about the heart and soul of dancing. The two gradually fall in love, and Fran gets cleaned up, so to speak, showing a little more of her inner beauty.

Conflict emerges, as the two are torn between doing what others want them to do (maintain the status quo) and what they want to do (dance with real passion, ignoring the rules). At the center of this is Scott's father Doug (Barry Otto), a broken-down, hen-pecked and dejected man with a hidden secret that allows Scott to make his decision.

While an original plot may be lacking in this film, the premise of the story, set within the strange world of competitive ballroom dancing, is unique, and adds a nifty flair to the tale.

The performances are also of great benefit to this film as well, particularly those of the two leads, Scott and Fran. Mercurio brings to Scott not only the egotistical bluster that the character begins the film with, but also shows the gradual increase in sentiment and heart that Scott gains over the course of the movie.

Tara Morice, as Fran, also gives the extra touch needed. Some credit should be given merely for the casting of a less-conventionally attractive woman rather than using the typical Hollywood technique of casting some hot young starlet in the female lead, and making her "ugly" by putting her hair in a bun and slapping some glasses on her face, then putting her in an all-flannel ensemble. While a certain element of this is used, Morice gives a convincing turn as a mousy sort of girl that just isn't confident enough to feel pretty. As she progresses in the film, she grows more confident in her own sexuality, which she faces (oddly enough) when her family meets Scott and teach him the mysteries of Flamenco, and the hidden passions contained in its movements.

Pat Thomson vamps the part of Shirley, the epitome of smothering, overly supportive Stage Mom. But that's what the part needs, really. And Barry Otto, in a smallish role as Scott's father, is as quiet and bookish as his wife is bombastic. However, in the rare moments when his character comes out of his shell, the character's inner war is made plain by his performance.

Baz Luhrman's direction of the film is probably the main point of interest in the movie. Working with his art directors, Martin Brown and Faith Martin, and the costumer, Angus Strathie, along with a vast team of people involved with the visual aspect of the film, produces a movie that certainly looks more interesting than your average first film. Much like he would do in later movies like Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet, Luhrman fills the film with vibrant colors and frantic kineticism. Just by looking at the movie, he tells us, flat out, that this isn't really the real world we're looking at, but some funky, faintly LSD-like, and substantially more interesting world than our own.

The movie is, after a fashion, a parody of itself. Nothing in the plot seems as serious as it is made out to be (honestly, how many people dedicated themselves this ardently to ballroom dancing?), yet it is not really as lightweight as we first percieve. Much like the later Moulin Rouge, the movie starts out being remarkably campy. However, as the romance at the heart of the tale becomes more serious, the story becomes more intimate and serious. At least until the last scene, when chaos enters the fray to let us know that nothing, not even being serious, should be taken too seriously.

Admittedly, the story is formulaic; in fact, it is unabashedly so. However, the predictability of the film shouldn't necessarily dissuade you from watching it. Visually, this movie is quite a spectacle, and worth seeing.

Unless, of course, you don't like dancing.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12