RAZZLE DAZZLE
Director: Darren Ashton Stars: Ben Miller, Kerry Armstrong, Tara Morice, Nadine Garner, Denise Roberts, Jane Hall, Toni Lamond, Barry Crocker, Noeline Brown, Leo Sayer,
Reviewed by WENDY RAWADY
Dance is big in the world right now. Whether it is Bollywood humungous production numbers or the success of our stars on that dancing show, it’s fun to watch and we can pretend we are as able as the performers. Aussie film Razzle Dazzle proves that the spell of Strictly Ballroom (Dir.: Baz Luhrmann 1992) is still weaving its magic. Coming hot on the heels of that box office success, Kenny (Dir.: Clayton Jacobson 2006), this was probably a mockumentary that we had to have, but, while it shares the charm factor with Kenny and his very earnest family, this is a film with a cast of which Cecil B De Mille would be proud and Busby Berkely would kill for every last leotarded Little Miss and that goes for Kerry Armstrong as well.
Without over-hyping it (it IS after all a small film with a small message) I must say that the laughs are wall-to-wall and as a feelgood movie, it is a success on all counts. There’s a little bit of ‘eyebrow acting’ as one notable Dean of Drama tags it. Kerry Armstrong can’t seem to tone herself down these days. But the children performing are across-the-board excellent and for that alone, Darren Ashton and his team deserve a medal. There’s a brilliant performance from Toni Lamond (well, I never expect anything less than our doyenne of cabaret), Jane Hall is great and Noeline Brown also has some big laughs. Watch in particular for Barry Crocker re-defining the polar opposite of ‘cool’.
U.K. comic Ben Miller, starring as Mr. Jonathan, is hilarious, bringing to mind Waiting For Guffman (Dir.: Christopher Guest, 1996) and resembles Corky St. Clair in many of his neurotic, ego-driven, yet humble, scenes.
This is a warts and all look at the world of junior competitive dance and uses the talents of a mass of twinkle-toed girls and boys from New South Wales terpsichorean schools. In a nod and a wink to Strictly Ballroom, Tara Morice has a pivotal role but I will leave you to discover what she does or doesn’t do!
Yes it is cliché ridden, but usually with a twist that leaves the audience guffawing and trying to stop before the next punch-line. The dance and music montages are witty and well edited (Julie-Anne de Ruvo) and the hand of Al Clark (Priscilla Queen Of The Desert and umpteen more runs on the board) as E.P. seems to have been active to keep the laughter ratio way up there.
Australia needs more of these hilarious little films and it would be extremely sad if they didn’t keep coming. If only to balance up the less palatable, more pretentious films we have been served over the last couple of years. No names no pack-drill. By the way, this film has some heavyweight crew members and a strong cast, so though a small film, I am not denigrating the sheer professionalism of the production. Possibly what makes it work so well is the depth of experience amongst the film-makers, and of course, the support of Palace.
Do take your dancing sons, daughters, nieces, nephews – well, all the family. They will laugh and so will you. And that can’t be a bad thing!
Reviewed by PETER MALONE
What an enjoyable surprise.
Expecting one of those many recent films about dance, dedicated teachers, problem students, sullen heroes who turn out to be champions, competitions and victories (like Step Up, Stomp The Yard, Take The Lead, even Strictly Ballroom), we discover it is, except…
Facts and statistics are given at the opening about how many children take dance lessons and how many enter into annual competitions. Looks like a documentary touch. But it is only a touch because the main style is that of the Mockumentary (especially made popular by Christopher Guest and his troupe in such films as Waiting For Guffman, Best In Show and A Mighty Wind). As such, it is very funny, lots of entertaining spoof, Australian deadpan comic observations (made so popular by Kenny), heightened characters and some extreme situations.
The style is a blend of serious interviews with some hilarious comments, a cinema verite style of wandering around the schools, into the homes, eavesdropping on conversations and, then, the razzle dazzle of the dance competitions themselves.
Ben Miller is very good indeed as Mr Jonathan from England who runs his school quite unconventionally, getting the students to imagine grim and gruesome situations (like the massacre of their pets) to explore and mime their feelings. And his repertoire is based on the world’s social problems (his first choreography was on the Kyoto agreement and his finale is on the Taliban’s oppression of Afghan women and their rebellion for freedom). Jane Hall is Miss Elizabeth, the model of prim, elitist, authoritarian education who refuses to face the possibility of defeat.
But Kerry Armstrong stands out as one of the most oppressive of stage mothers, yet makes her quite credible in her vanity, vulnerability and lack of scruple. Nadine Garner is the more sensible mother who acts as a foil. Toni Lamond and Noelene Brown turn up as judges along with Leo Sayer and Paul Mercurio has some moments as himself, a dance instructor. Tara Morice is the silent costume designer.
The children perform well – although the reaction to these dance schools, performance and competition is to wonder how wise it is to turn most of the dancers into precocious rhythmic-gyrating mini-adults.
Familiar plot but very entertainingly varied – and funny.