The Dancer Upstairs

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Rating

Strong Violence, Language

Director

John Malkovich

A new birth involves blood

Starring

This political thriller, adapted from the novel of the same name by Nicholas Shakespeare, who also wrote the screenplay, is set in an unnamed country in South America during the 1980's. Based on actual events in Peru, The Dancer Upstairs, beautifully acted and photographed, is reminiscent of "The Quiet American;" corruption and political intrigue against a brutally violated backdrop of terrain and human life.

Academy Award nominee Javier Bardem (Before Night Falls) is Police Commander Augustin Rejas, a man in conflict in both his professional and personal life. Formerly an attorney, he moved to law enforcement because it was thought to be a more honorable profession.

Five years after his promotion from guard at a rural outpost in the mountains, Rejas is given an assignment to locate and capture the head of the terrorist ring causing havoc in the capital city. He teams up with sidekick Sucre (Juan Diego Botto) to rout out the unidentified leader of a rebel group (Duran, played by Abel Folk), who is threatening to bring down the corrupt government using terrorist tactics. Dead dogs hang from trees to symbolize a tyrant condemned to death. Chickens, with sticks of dynamite attached to them, are let loose in a crowd. Children are forced to deliver bombs in suicide missions and uniformed teenage schoolgirls are trained to use their sexuality as a diversion before they assassinate a politician.

Rejas is a loving husband and father. His beautiful wife has other, more material concerns; consumed with her appearance and boutique shopping. He becomes increasingly attracted to his daughter's dance instructor Yolanda (Laura Morante), as the emotional distance with his wife widens. Yolanda too has an agenda of her own.

Undoubtedly for commercial reasons, this film about South America, with a cast of predominately Spanish speaking actors, is in English. The accents vary by actor and it would be a better film in Spanish with sub titles. Even with this "flaw," highly regarded actor John Malkovich makes a powerful directing debut. The haunting soundtrack adds to the texture and you'll want to add it to your collection.

The Dancer Upstairs is politically provocative, showing compassion for terrorists and illustrating how and why people become revolutionaries. We see how the difference between the "have and the have-nots" can become a permanent situation, and how those that should be in high political offices, often exist as low level civil servants. Sometimes we learn things we need to know, which then make us that much more uncomfortable because we better understand our enemies.

One can debate if a nation should invade another and depose its government because its politics are "wrong." What is not debatable is that terrorism is war and that doing nothing is the wrong move. The questions are; what action is the right action and what, when and how should it be done?

The Dancer Upstairs poses several questions of conscience through the deft and stylish telling of a good story. You are engrossed during the film and thoughtful long after you've left the theater. What else would you expect from a film directed by John Malkovich?