The Dancer Upstairs (2002)

Director:

John Malkovich

Writers:

Nicholas Shakespeare (novel)
Nicholas Shakespeare (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 September 2002 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | Crime

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Revolutionary | Revolution | Government | Love

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

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

Also Known As:

Pasos de baile (Spain)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, and for language.

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

Spain | USA

Language:

English | Quechua | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | France:U | Germany:12 | Peru:14 | Spain:18 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:14A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Espinho, Aveiro, Portugal

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

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).

Goofs:

Continuity: There is a scene were Javier (the main cop) and Yolanda are talking about judging characters, Javier has the book in his hands. One shot, the camera is on Javier then goes back to Yolanda. In between those two shots, Yolanda's position changes.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Revealing 'The Dancer Upstairs' (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Viagens Interditas

A promising debut

A curious but not entirely unexpected idiossyncratic choice from John Malkovich for his directing debut, this adaptation of Nicholas Shakespeare's novel fictionalising the capture of the leader of the Peruvian Shining Path revolutionary movement is a more pensive, less political throwback to the European "political thrillers" of the 1970s made popular by directors such as Costa-Gavras. Malkovich, however, dislocates the film's centre from politics into personal mores, following the story of Javier Bardem, as the police detective assigned to discover the whereabouts of the mysterious terrorist leader "Ezequiel". In a superbly controlled performance, Bardem emphasizes the vulnerability of this disenchanted, seen-it-all cop thrown against his will into the frying-pan and the way he attempts to maintain his dignity and uphold the law he no longer believes in. Malkovich proves an engaging director - despite its lengthy running time (and although it could use a slight trim), the film is neither predictable nor overstays its welcome, and the actors deliver consistently good performances. One wishes Malkovich had looked for a better story to tell, but as debuts go this is a promising one.