The Tango Lesson

Name: The Tango Lesson
Genre: Drama, Romance, Music
Released: November 14, 1997
Duration: 100 min
Rating: 65
Cast: Pablo Verón, Sally Potter

1997

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Generally favorable reviews based on 6 Critic Reviews

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The Tango Lesson

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: November 14, 1997 | PG

Starring: Pablo Verón, Sally Potter

Summary: A filmmaker (Sally Potter), dissatisfied wth her latest screenplay, stumbles upon the tango and an Argentinian tango dancer (Pablo Veron) living in Paris. Fascinated by both, she places herself under Pablo's tutelage, striking a deal — if Pablo will make her a tango dancer, she will let him star in her next film. He accomplishes his sideA filmmaker (Sally Potter), dissatisfied wth her latest screenplay, stumbles upon the tango and an Argentinian tango dancer (Pablo Veron) living in Paris. Fascinated by both, she places herself under Pablo's tutelage, striking a deal — if Pablo will make her a tango dancer, she will let him star in her next film. He accomplishes his side of the bargain when they perform in a show, but her attempt to make a film with Pablo in Buenos Aires exposes the complexities at the heart of the story — how do you follow when your instinct is to lead? [Sony Pictures Classics]… Expand

Director: Sally Potter

Genre(s): Drama, Romance, Music

Rating: PG

Runtime: 100 min

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

Most dances are for people who are falling in love. The tango is a dance for those who have survived it, and are still a little angry about having their hearts so mishandled. The Tango Lesson is a movie for people who understand that difference. Read full review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

The Tango Lesson is about as far away from Al Pacino’s Scent of a Woman hotdogging as you can get; it really is about the scent of a woman, in all her fascinating peculiarity. Read full review

Edward Guthmann

Surprisingly, Potter takes what seemed like a recipe for embarrassment and excess and delivers a film that's sweet and understated and devoid of diva posturing. Read full review

Patrick Gamble

Despite being exquisitely shot and flowing with an inescapably graceful stride that seems in accordance with the film's titular dance, The Tango Lesson works far better as a deconstruction of the creative process than it does as a satire on the industry. Read full review

Janet Maslin

Stiffly playing a filmmaker with a growing passion for the tango, she makes this a handsome, drily meticulous film with no real fire anywhere beyond its supple dance scenes. Read full review

Marjorie Baumgarten

The Tango Lesson is ponderously scripted and stiffly acted, and though the narrative causes the characters to skip continents and languages (the story bounces from Paris to Buenos Aires to London and back) little of the passion that drives this story is conveyed. Read full review

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DawdlingPoet

Apr 23, 2022

The dancing is quite hypnotic, with certainly pretty surroundings. It has a dreamlike quality with few others shown in the public settings - this is primarily about the 2 main characters interacting and expressing themselves to one another.

The scenes in between the actual dances are a bitThe dancing is quite hypnotic, with certainly pretty surroundings. It has a dreamlike quality with few others shown in the public settings - this is primarily about the 2 main characters interacting and expressing themselves to one another.

The scenes in between the actual dances are a bit dull and less interesting. I enjoyed watching the film for the rhythm the choreographed scenes conveyed. The instrumental ballroom-esque music is quite enjoyable, in a toe tapping way and there's also some nice saxophone music. I guess the film is really all about how the relationship is formed, developed, deepens etc. between he who gives the lesson and the student, with frustrations and arguments clearly visible.

Sometimes its a sad film, sometimes its almost uplifting - a quirky film, it won't suit, or appeal to, all but its certainly not bad. It's a little too 'arty' for my taste but it's not bad.… Expand

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