Fancy Dancing (2002) User Reviews

Life's A Cabaret For Jason

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 24 May 2009]

Watching this Canadian film starring Jason Priestley with its north of the border cast I kept thinking how did Johnny Depp let this one slip by? The character of Asa Gemmill, a man who is a womanizing deadbeat dad who lives in a nostalgia world, but still maintains his likability seemed like a perfect fit for the quirky characters Johnny Depp loves to bring to the screen.

Still in Fancy Dancing Jason Priestley does a fine job in those two toned shoes that he sings and dances in. I have a soft spot in my heart for this film, it features the kind of music and entertainment that I like. And now that I'm retired I can listen and watch it all day long as Priestley does. But I had to work for over 30 years for New York State to have that leisure time.

And as a thirty something Priestley just hasn't grasped the fact that you've got to have work time to enjoy the play time. So Dave Thomas brings him into his advertising agency thinking maybe this is a place he might be useful.

For myself I certainly loved the music that writer/director Brock Simpson also wrote for this film. It sounded so period, I kept trying to think of where I might have heard it before. I do pride myself on my knowledge of these popular songs and only in the end did I learn there was a good reason I couldn't identify with them.

Priestley's best scenes are with his young son played by Connor Price, the two have a good chemistry together.

Fancy Dancing was a nice piece of entertainment from Canada and is in the running as the best Johnny Depp film, Johnny Depp never made.

It's Cute! It's not amazing.

[graceblue23 · 5/10 · 20 September 2005]

Considering that most films are the very definition of hum-drum (which is especially true in the lackluster genre of romantic comedy), this is a less than spectacular movie that succeeds in being quirky enough to be endearing but it certainly suffers from uneven execution (predominantly in the structure of the story telling).

I think the cast was fun, however, with Jason Priestly surrounded by Dave Thomas, Dave Foley and Tanya Allen his performance feels flat; I didn't feel there was a lot of chemistry between him and any of the other characters. Dave Thomas was a classic clown, Tanya Allen was wonderfully charming but I have to say that a special treasure was Dave Foley's anxious and somewhat paranoid character. I would have loved more of him, and as is the case in so many movies, his talents are underused. It's worth a rental, though, to see the two Dave's in scenes together.

I am not Canadian and therefore feel like I may have enjoyed this more if I were. There is definitely some "culture poking" that takes place that I can appreciate if not relish in (i.e. the lead character being obsessed with "Canada's Fred Astair" and the Scottish vs. the English).

All in all it was a fun, Friday night rental that, while it didn't move me or make me laugh out loud, certainly caused me to smile throughout - a rare feat for a romantic comedy.

Fine Showing By All In Well-Paced Canadian Film.

[rsoonsa · 7/10 · 21 March 2007]

There is much to enjoy from this cleverly written and scored musical comedic drama that is replete with palatable performances from those responsible for its completion. Would-be songwriter Asa Gemmil (Jason Priestley) has never worked a day, instead surviving upon a trust fund that enables him to devise a lifestyle largely based upon homage to the culture, and in particular the popular music, of the 1930s and 1940s big band swing period. A disparity between fantasy and reality in Asa's world caves in whenever he utilizes visitation rights for his young son Michael (whom he typically dubs Stewart in honour of their Scottish heritage), the sole object that Asa loves more than music of his favoured era. Unfortunately for Asa, when his former wife Charity (Deborah Odell), Michael's mother, discovers that Asa has been taking the boy to hear late hour night club entertainment, she issues an ultimatum that Gemmil must instantly take an interest in locating regular employment or she will deny him any opportunity of spending time with Michael, as she understandably perceives a need for more appropriate forms of shared activity to be provided by the lad's father. Charity's proviso receives firm support from Michael's grandparents, but happily Asa's Uncle Billy, owner of an advertising agency, prevents disaster by placing Asa in a position with the firm, despite the dreamer's apparent inability to visualize much beyond performances of his favourite players in old musical films. Nonetheless, he adapts nicely to his freshly structured existence, exuding pride in the discharge of his job-related duties, principally because he has become infatuated with a comely co-worker, Karen (Tanya Allen). What would surely have been a stifling atmosphere for former free spirit Asa has become altered thanks to this new romantic interest that presents an opportunity that he is determined to utilize for maintaining regular contact with his son. Director Brock Simpson, who has also contributed the work's screenplay, additionally composing its music and writing the lyrics, is not averse to taking chances, and his solid background in the creation of musical theatre is apparent within an imaginative, and quite often erudite, script. Priestley is very effective as the lead, demonstrating excellent timing, and although he handily outplays Allen, there is yet winning chemistry between them, while the remainder of the Canadian based cast and crew work with competence and to good effect. Although a VHS version is still locatable, a Seville DVD package is superior on all counts, released as a widescreen print and with outstanding Dolby digital sound that complements a well-crafted score for this above standard picture.

If you don't expect much, you won't be disappointed.

[Gimmickthegnome · 11 September 2003]

Jason Priestly plays Asa, a thirty-ish guy that is a little without direction. A bit of a deadbeat dad and 'cool cat' with the ladies, he finds solace in classic films featuring his favourite Fred Astaire-esque actor and imagining the world as it was then.

You always have to be wary of a movie where the main characters start singing without any real warning (see "Heartbreakers"). I can only imagine that this script was originally a half-hour short film that, for some reason, was stretched into 90 minutes. Dave Foley and Dave Thomas' characters are a little out of place; I assume it's the content and not the execution. Cutie-patootie Tanya Allen (Starhunter) plays the love interest and she does her job well.

If you're a huge fan of Moulin Rouge or Chicago, you might want to avoid this would-be musical. However, if you can look past the low budget, you'll see a cute flick.

Tip: If you're gonna have a running gag of subtitles for the thick-accented Scottish character, get the words off the characters' faces.

Hardly great, but mostly harmless. 6 out of 10.

A film for people who has insomnia

[broderson1 · 7/10 · 1 May 2003]

I saw this movie at 3:00 AM, and as I watched it i realized that the only people who can enjoy it is those who have insomnia (or if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't sleep). It's so odd and bizarre, no plot or logic. It's like a weird dream with no meaning.

Asa (Jason Priestley) is trying to keep seeing his son after he and his wife got divorced, so he gets a job at an advertisement agency. The film has a few crazy songs and a dancing sequence at the end.

One and a half stars out of five.