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The Dancer Upstairs (2002)

R  132 min  -  Drama | Thriller | Crime   -  20 September 2002 (Spain)
6.9
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Ratings: 6.9/10 from 4,279 users   Metascore: 64/100 
Reviews: 68 user | 85 critic | 40 from Metacritic.com

A police detective in a South American country is dedicated to hunting down a revolutionary guerilla leader.

Director:

John Malkovich

Writers:

Nicholas Shakespeare (novel), Nicholas Shakespeare (screenplay)
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The Dancer Upstairs -- A police detective in a South American country is dedicated to hunting down a revolutionary guerilla leader. The Dancer Upstairs -- A police detective in a South American country is dedicated to hunting down a revolutionary guerilla leader.
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Javier Bardem ...
Agustín Rejas
Juan Diego Botto ...
Sucre
Laura Morante ...
Yolanda
Elvira Mínguez ...
Llosa
Alexandra Lencastre Alexandra Lencastre ...
Sylvina Rejas
Oliver Cotton Oliver Cotton ...
Merino
Luís Miguel Cintra Luís Miguel Cintra ...
Calderón
Javier Manrique Javier Manrique ...
Clorindo
Abel Folk Abel Folk ...
Ezequiel / Durán
Marie-Anne Berganza Marie-Anne Berganza ...
Laura
Lucas Rodríguez Lucas Rodríguez ...
Gómez
Xabier Elorriaga Xabier Elorriaga ...
Pascual
Natalia Dicenta ...
Marina
Wolframio Sinué ...
Santiago
Ramiro Jiménez Ramiro Jiménez ...
Sergeant Pisac
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Storyline

The story of Detective Agustin Rejas, a man clinging to the hope of an impossible love in an impossible world. Tracking Ezequiel, a delusional anarchist who incites the downtrodden masses to join in his brutal revolution against the fascist government in their unnamed Latin American country, Rejas finds solace in his sense of self-respect and the joy that his daughter and wife bring him. Then he meets Yolanda--his daughter's soulfully beautiful ballet teacher--a woman who sparks his long-forgotten passions and represents all that is good and all that is corrupt in their troubled country. But she, who appears to be a shelter from the storm, may in actuality be the storm's eye. Ultimately, as the revolution intensifies and the net closes around hunter and hunted alike, the dancer's truth will prove as elusive as the revolutionary's cause and the detective's peace. Written by Sujit R. Varma  

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Revolution | Revolutionary | Police | Anarchist  | See more »

Taglines:

An honest man caught in a world of intrigue, power and passion.

Genres:

Drama | Thriller | Crime

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, and for language See all certifications »
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Details

Country:

Spain | USA

Language:

English | Quechua | Spanish (only a few words)

Release Date:

(Spain) See more »

Also Known As:

Pasos de baile See more »

Filming Locations:

Ecuador See more »

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

€100,224 (Spain) (22 September 2002) (71 Screens)

Gross:

$5,227,348 (Worldwide) (2004)
See more »

Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

In the beginning of the film, one of the revolutionaries tells a checkpoint security guard that his dead dog's name is Tupac. Tupac Amaru was the last indigenous leader of the Inca people in Peru and Tupac Amaru II was the leader of the 1780s uprising in colonial day Cusco, Peru. (The late hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur is named after the latter). See more »

Goofs

Anachronisms: Throughout the film, Ezequiel also denounces Chinese Premier Deng Xiaoping. Deng ruled China from 1976 to 1989. However, when Det. Lt. Agustín Rejas browses through several women's magazines such as Glamour, he encounters "recent" pictures of models such as Josie Maran and Gisele Bündchen. Maran didn't start her modeling career until 1990, a year after Deng left office. See more »

Quotes

[Rejas and Sucre are looking at a dead dog hanging from a lamp-post, with dynamite stuck down its throat]
Sucre: What sort of a person would do that?
Agustín Rejas: I don't know, but I wouldn't entirely rule out a cat-lover.
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Crazy Credits

The producers would like to thank ... the residents of Narcisos Street ... See more »

Connections

Featured in Revealing 'The Dancer Upstairs' (2003) See more »

Soundtracks

"Le Cygne"
(1886)
from "Le Carnaval des Animaux"
Written by Camille Saint-Saëns (as Camile Saints-Saëns)
Performed by Mischa Maisky and Martha Argerich (as Marta Argerich)
Courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon See more »