Marylyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dance and Charm School 2005

     Frank Keene is out on the highway at an early hour to deliver bread baked in his bread shop.  Steve Mills has had an accident it appears to be a single care collision?  Steve is heading to a 50^th class reunion and it’s May 5, 2005.  He promised Lisa they would meet again.  Steve asks Frank to stay with him until the ambulance can arrive.  They begin talking and Steve says he is on his way to an appointment in Pasadena California.  He is meeting a years-ago acquaintance and many years have passed.   Steve asks Frank to take his place at the dance class.  The story goes back and forth between Steve’s childhood, the accident scene and the dance class.

     There is another aspect about this film and it is that Frank is still grieving the loss of his wife.  He hasn’t been able to part with any of her belongings.  I didn’t know if he would fit in with the crowd and the School?  I didn’t know what would happen to Steve but I had an idea?  3* (This movie is OK)   

103 min, Comedy directed by Randall Miller, with Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, Mary Steenburgen, John Goodman, Elden Henson, Sean Astin, Teresa Johnston, Kelley Parker Michael Bower, Chance Michael Corbitt.

Note:  Imdb 6.6 out of 10, 22% critic 60% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, 2* Roger Ebert, Metacritic 40 out of 100 with 20 critics 7.6 out of 10 with 8 reviews, Amazon 4.6* out of 5* with 150 reviews, Slant Magazine 3* out of 5*.

Special Note:  The flashbacks are from a 1990 short film with the same name and the children are 12 years old.  Randall is very obnoxious and Mark Wahlberg has this role.  An elderly man tells Frank that Randall thinks he is Lord of the Dance but he’s not even Irish?  The Wahlberg family is actually of primarily of Irish decent.