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12 Rounds Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
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$9.99 Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
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Mad Hot Ballroom
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MPAA RATING: PG for some thematic elements
An inspiring look inside the lives of New York City school kids on a journey into the world of ballroom dancing, an unexpected arena where they discover new frontiers about attitude, movement, style and commitment. (Paramount Classics)
| GENRE(S): | Documentary |
| WRITTEN BY: | Amy Sewell |
| DIRECTED BY: | Marilyn Agrelo |
| RELEASE DATE: |
DVD: October 18, 2005 Theatrical: May 13, 2005 |
| RUNNING TIME: | 110 minutes, Color |
| ORIGIN: | USA |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
The average user rating for this movie is 7.7 (out of 10) based on 24 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Van B. gave it a3:
This footage might have made for a semi-interesting 1 hour program on PBS, or a 20-minute segment on 60 minutes, but as a full length movie, I found it rather boring (even for a documentary).
Jim G. gave it a7:
An enjoyable film evincing that giving children (and adults for that matter) chances to express themselves creatively through art (be it music, dance, visual arts, writing) gives them incredible opportunities for self esteem and growth.
Alan D. gave it an8:
I really enjoyed this movie. As a teacher looking for ways to get all sorts of adolescents to get involved in activities that are fun and build pride, commitment, hard work and mutual respect, this is an inspiring example.
marelena c. gave it a10:
This movie is my favorite of all time!!! the 10th time i saw it, i couldnt help but get up and do all of the moves myself! i wish i could meet all of the members of the indigo group. that would be my dream.
Joyce gave it a10:
I love this film! Saw it twice, dragged everyone I know to see it. I like arty movies, I like well-acted movies, I like movies that can make me cry or laugh or think. This one did all three, plus there were those tapping toes.
ellen c. gave it a9:
If you know anything about or like kids, dance, New York or music, you will love this movie. You don't need a map and compass to figure out the kids' backgrounds, just watch and listen to them spea and move. It's all there. It's a brilliant movie.
Mark B. gave it a7:
My father loves football, baseball and all manner of sports where the winners are determined by a hard numerical score, but you can't pay him to watch diving, figure skating or any other sport where the criteria are fuzzy and open to interpretation. Therefore, it's easy to guess that my dad would watch 2002's superb, Oscar-nominated spelling bee documentary Spellbound (where you either spell the word correctly, or you don't) 18 times before watching Mad Hot Ballroom (how do you judge ballroom dancing without esthetics and opinions taking over?) even once. And truth be told, Spellbound (without whose success MHB probably wouldn't have gotten distribution by anybody like Paramount) is a better documentary than MHB: it focuses on a handful of young contestants, giving the viewer more of a chance to get to know them and pick a favorite, while MHB, dealing with several New York City public schools in competition, gives us a lot more kids to watch but fewer to really bond with(although precocious, bespectacled little Tara really stole my heart, and has an unforgettable line relating to the subjectivity of the judging). While the final outcome of Spellbound is impossible to determine, MHB is more selectively and manipulatively put together to nudge the audience toward a more predictable, and somehow less satisfying, result. However, just because The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy aren't in the same league as Casablanca as far as dramas of intrigue are concerned doesn't mean that they aren't well worth watching in and of themselves, and MHB cleanly falls into the category of a "What's not to like?" movie. The inner-city 11-year-olds are smart, funny and endearing; what Miami Herald critic Rene Rodriguez referred to as the "awww factor" is pleasingly high without slipping into schmaltz; the kids' comments on love, sex, careers, life and rhumbas are often simultaneously innocent and perceptive; and the competing teachers and principals are every bit as likable as the kids! Like last year's Best Documentary Oscar winner Born Into Brothels, MHB makes a strong case for the arts being a major influence in keeping kids at a crossroads away from drugs, crime and other dangers--a message I hope comes across loud and clear to "No Child Left Behind" proponents (although somehow I doubt that it will). If that's not enough, if you despise the noxious sports-as-life philosophy and T-shirt slogan "second place is the first loser" as much as I do, MHB provides the PERFECT comeback response!
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