Susan Granger’s review of “Mao’s Last Dancer” (Samuel Goldwyn Films)
Think “Billy Elliot” combined with “The Last Emperor” with a touch of “Rocky.” Only a master like Bruce Beresford could envision this sweeping, audacious adaptation of Chinese ballet dancer’s Li Cunxin’s memoirs with such emotional resonance.
Plucked from his peasant parents (Joan Chen, Wang Shuangbao) in an impoverished rural village in Shandong Province by Communist officials as part of Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution, 11 year-old Li is sent to Madame Mao’s ballet school in Beijing. Determined to bring pride to his family, perseverant Li embraces the strict, rigorous discipline and is granted the rare privilege of continuing his dance studies in the United States. Arriving in amazement in Texas as part of an exchange program, he experiences culture-shock but adjusts quickly, deeming his discoveries “fantastic,” adopting a different ideology, even falling in love with another dancer (Amanda Schull). Then to the horror of his host/guardian, Ben Stevenson (Bruce Greenwood), artistic director of the Houston Ballet, Li decides to defect, declaring his need to be “free,” enrolling an astute attorney (Kyle MacLachlan), and becoming embroiled in a political, emotional and ethical conflict that involves sacrificing all hope of ever seeing his family again.
Australian director Bruce Beresford’s films (“Breaker Morant,” “Tender Mercies,” “Crimes of the Heart,” “Driving Miss Daisy”) run an unmatchable gamut but what unites them is an unstoppable cinematic energy that’s at the heart of his understated, yet always vigorous style. Jan Sardi’s (“Shine”) complex, non-linear screenplay effortlessly shifts between Li’s life as a youngster and his present, his childhood experiences and adult dilemmas. Graeme Murphy’s dance sequences soar, and cinematographer Peter James drenches the screen in a torrent of resonating vivid images embodying the sights and sounds of China. As Li Cuxnin at different ages, Chi Cao (principal dancer at Birmingham Royal Ballet), Chengwo Guo (member of Australian Ballet Company) and Huang Wen Bin (aspiring Beijing gymnast) are sensational, as is Bruce Greenwood.
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Mao’s Last Dancer” is an inspiring, enthralling 10. Great movies transport the audience – and this left me enriched and exhilarated.
