Metascore

Generally favorable reviews - based on 32 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 18 Ratings

  • Starring: James Franco, Malcolm McDowell, Neve Campbell
  • Summary: This ensemble drama about the life of a company of ballet dancers focuses on a young dancer (Campbell) on the verge of becoming a principal dancer.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 32
  2. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. Like many Altman movies, this is less a dramatic story to follow than an atmospheric environment to visit.
  2. 80
    It should be a personal triumph or a personal tragedy, but it's neither: just another moment between curtain-rise and curtain-fall in the glorious business of creating beauty.
  3. A wonderfully vivid and engaging theatrical experience.
  4. Reviewed by: Angie Errigo
    60
    Dramatic disappointment aside, there is a feel for the unglamorous, demanding lives of the real dancers.

See all 32 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 12
  3. Negative: 6 out of 12
  1. MikaelP.
    3
    This movie appeared as the closing film for the High Falls Film Festival in Rochester, New York, where many great small and foreign films were revealed, especially In America. This film, on the other hand, sucked us in and then spit us out, completely disappointed. Great talent does show itself in this film, but the entire experience is utterly banal, as the film has NO plot. None. It can be said that it is a documentary about a dance studio in Chicago, and some of the things that occured in the course of that studio's existence are revealed. You know what? Nobody cares about the story, because there is no plot, and the character traits and development are lost and pointless. The only draw of the film was the dancing talent that was shown, which, as I feel that anyone else in that theater can support me on, would be better seen at a REAL dance studio today. The whole experience is lost onscreen. After the film ended and we realized how pointless it was, one of the "writers" went onstage and was interviewed about the experience of writing the screenplay. She admitted that Altman had requested that no story should exist, so that is exactly what he got. Prior film interviews at the festival had brought out many questions from the audience, but very few people wanted to ask her any questions, seeing as how there was really nothing to ask about. Nothing. So folks, take it from someone who has lasted perienced its pointlessness. Ignore the critics' praise of Altmanism. This is possible the least consecquential movie of the year. Collapse
  2. HelenS.
    2
    Can I say BORING? I just rented this and fell asleep 20 minutes into it. There is no story line, no character development and some of the choreography looks like it's making fun of ballet. Neve Campbell is non-existent and has barely any lines. What is the point of this movie? Expand
  3. JoshC
    0
    Robert Altman has been plugging away on movie sets, manufacturing adroit classics, odious train wrecks, and
  4. Marg
    0
    Worst movie I've ever seen actually. NOTHING happens. Nothing. At all.

See all 12 User Reviews

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