Film - Mao's Last Dancer

Life is a fascinating thing. Happy, miserable, unexpected – some days all the above.

But, fundamentally, our lives in New Zealand are pleasant. Boringly, predictably, unendingly… pleasant. Don’t get me wrong; this isn’t a criticism at all. For good reason we have invested a lot of time in our society to guarantee things don’t ever get too interesting; save for the odd Sir Ed, autobiographies here are usually not worth writing home about.

People overseas, on the other hand, often have an embarrassment of riches to call on. War, political instability, natural disasters - even celebrity. And it is in that rich vein that this film is born: a cinematographic reworking of the best-selling autobiography featuring communism, dedication, ballet, love and politics. A heady mix, whichever side of the wall you were on.

Mao’s Last Dancer is the history of Li Cunxin, a boy born in an isolated Chinese village later destined to be one of the world’s great dancers. Plucked from his classroom at 11, Li is sent to Beijing to study at the arts academy – a tough existence where boys are forced into men; dancing men. Things dramatically change when the Houston Ballet Company arrives on one of the first official tours to China. Beginning an exchange, their director, Ben Stephenson (beautifully portrayed by Bruce Greenwood), selects Li to study in America.

Arriving in Texas with his Mao-monogrammed possessions, Li is surprised by the differences between his experiences and what he has been taught about Capitalist societies (of course, on screen, the sun shines out of our bottoms). He meets a girl, wears Adidas, finds life pleasant too and wants to stay – the following struggles include love, marriage and a standoff at the Chinese consulate even the vice-president has a hand in.

For a film that has to stand or fall on its lead actor, Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy) must have been giddy when he was presented with Chi Cao. A brilliant ballet dancer? Check. Good looking? Check. Fluent in English and Mandarin? Check? Can even act? Checkmate. The scenes of Chi and various ballet-trained leading ladies performing are a real joy to watch for those with a dance persuasion; in fact anyone at all.

Great story, lucky lead actor, an Oscar-winning director. So why isn’t Mao’s Last Dancer a five star smash? The answer, unfortunately, is Bruce Beresford. The passage of time is always difficult to capture effectively but poorly-executed flashbacks, father figures speaking in proverb, and repeated appearances of an allegorical archer should have been excluded. Even worse, Mr Beresford uses slo-mo sequences (in ballet scenes!) and the kind of montages already passé post-Rocky – this is no kung fu movie and shouldn’t be directed like one.

But all is not lost. For the amazing story, commendable acting, real emotion when Li is reunited with his parents after long years not knowing their fate, and first-rate ballet filming, Mao’s Last Dancer is worth a look. Unfortunately for me, it is another case of what-might-have been; but at least I can leave Li’s struggles onscreen and head back to my pleasant life after the curtain falls.

Genre: Drama

Starring: Bruce Greenwood, Chi Cao, Kyle MacLachlan, Amanda Schull

Directed by: Bruce Beresford

Origin:  Australia           

Running Time: 117 minutes

Rating:            PG

Score: 3.5 out of 5