Swing Kids
Sunday, April 20th, 2008 01:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tourmalineMy latest package from Amazon included the DVD of Swing Kids, which I watched last night.
I'd read so many different opinions of this film beforehand, I really didn't know what to expect. All I knew (and remembered from when it was released) was that Kenneth Branagh is in the film but uncredited - Disney wanted to give him top billing I think, as he was the big name, but he said no, "the boys" are the stars of the film and so refused any billing.
As for "the boys" - well, this is Robert Sean Leonard's movie. He's amazing. He looks so good, and it's wonderful watching him dance (if you were amazed by Hugh Laurie's samba in The Girl From Rio, well, you ain't seen nothing). Swing dance is very energetic and physical so in the dance scenes there's arms and legs flying everywhere, all the background dancers are of course professional dancers rather than actors, but RSL is fantastic and definitely a match for the pros.
He also has some big emo scenes, too. It did appear as if he spent a lot of the film on the verge of tears, but towards the end of the film there's a big scene where his character discovers something significant about his father, and he's sitting there, tears pouring down his face, completely overcome and sobbing his heart out. And of course I just wanted to fold him in my arms at that point.
The reviews for Swing Kids weren't all completely enthusiastic. But if you're a RSL fan, it's a must-see. It makes you realise how much the House production & writing people have, with Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard in major roles in their show. Such enormous talent, the best there is of their generation. I hope they make good use of it.
I'd read so many different opinions of this film beforehand, I really didn't know what to expect. All I knew (and remembered from when it was released) was that Kenneth Branagh is in the film but uncredited - Disney wanted to give him top billing I think, as he was the big name, but he said no, "the boys" are the stars of the film and so refused any billing.
As for "the boys" - well, this is Robert Sean Leonard's movie. He's amazing. He looks so good, and it's wonderful watching him dance (if you were amazed by Hugh Laurie's samba in The Girl From Rio, well, you ain't seen nothing). Swing dance is very energetic and physical so in the dance scenes there's arms and legs flying everywhere, all the background dancers are of course professional dancers rather than actors, but RSL is fantastic and definitely a match for the pros.
He also has some big emo scenes, too. It did appear as if he spent a lot of the film on the verge of tears, but towards the end of the film there's a big scene where his character discovers something significant about his father, and he's sitting there, tears pouring down his face, completely overcome and sobbing his heart out. And of course I just wanted to fold him in my arms at that point.
The reviews for Swing Kids weren't all completely enthusiastic. But if you're a RSL fan, it's a must-see. It makes you realise how much the House production & writing people have, with Hugh Laurie and Robert Sean Leonard in major roles in their show. Such enormous talent, the best there is of their generation. I hope they make good use of it.
