Viewed on DVD and Streaming. To date, there are at least three movies out there with this title. Only one is Japanese. And it is by far the best of the bunch. It has become a classic "sleeper hit," probably more popular today than when first released in the mid 1990's. The main plot path is well worn: middle-age family man (Koji Yakusyo) seeking another turn at bat with an unattainable woman-in-a-dance-studio-window (Tamiyo Kusakari). By becoming an amateur expert dancer no less! The script delivers sufficient surprises and subplots to ensure the viewer's full attention. It also leaves no subplot loose ends, and provides feel-good happy endings all around (more or less). Directing, acting, camera, and music (not all of it is original) are first rate. So are the subtitles! In camera shots of the dance studio window from subway windows are especially well done. WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD.

Shohei Sugiyama (Kôji Yakusho) is a guy that works way too much. I understand that is typical in Japan. He is lonely, but that is not what attracts him to a dance studio.On the train home, he sees Mai Kishikawa (Tamiyo Kusakari) in the window. The next night she is there again. He is intrigued as to why she is so unhappy.He manages to overcome his shyness and joins in at the dance studio where Mai works as a teacher. Soon his life changes dramatically.Kôji Yakusho is an outstanding Japanese actor who was in Babel and 13 Assassins. Tamiyo Kusakari won a Best Actress award for this film and was up for another at this years Japanese Film Academy for The Terminal Trust.Comic moments are provided by Hiromasa Taguchi and Yu Tokui, and a very big surprise comes from Naoto Takenaka, who won a Best Supporting Actor award for this film.I cannot comprehend why anyone would think this film needed a remake.

This is the original Shall We Dansu, a Japanese film that takes a look at the society around it and the shameful act of dancing. It is considered out of the society's norms to dance, whether it is in a studio or at home, especially ballroom dancing. This is exactly what the main character Shohei Sugiyama is looking for to break from his mundane life. While the topic of the film is better understood with the knowledge of Japanese culture it is still hilarious to watch while still maintaining its heart-felt plot.Shall We Dansu has a very serious plot of a man trying to break from his daily routine, but also adds in a slew of comedy through gags and dialog. Some scenes are laugh out loud while others just give a chuckle to break up tension. However, this is a very funny film with a very interesting story line.The one thing to be aware of is that this is the original Japanese version. There has been a more recent Hollywood version that falls very short in comparison. The Hollywood version was a flop and took an amazing movie and turned it into a pointless waste of time. Do not see the remake; instead look at this original film, which is able to captivate humor and drama all in the same moment.The most important thing to understand about this film is that in this Japanese society it is taboo to dance. If you try to place this film outside of that context, like how the remake attempted, it loses everything that makes this film worth seeing. While analyzing society, and the norms of that society, Shall We Dansu is a captivating experience that mixes humor with drama to allow for an entertaining film experience.

Shall We Dansu delves into the clash between modern day desires and Japanese cultural traditions. Dancing, for men in Japan, is seen as an embarrassment so when our protagonist, Sugiyama decides to take dancing lessons he is faced with a problem. Sugiyama is a respectable Japanese man that works as a businessman and has a wife and daughter, so it is out of the norm for him to take dancing lessons. Sugiyama decides to take the classes in secret and also acquire a love for the dancing instructor Mai, in secret. Sugiyama lives a double life from then on but has a new found passion for life. Masayuki shows the humor of Japanese customs and how people must keep their lives secret to avoid humiliation.The acting in Shall We Dansu was the best part of the movie. Mr. Aoiki stole the movie with his sharp turns while walking as well as Toyoko with her negative outlook on life. The movie was light-hearted and funny while still holding a message, that you should follow your desires even if society finds them humiliating. Another actor that deserves praise is Mai. Mai played the role of a dancer who lost her passion very well and her stiffness added to the suspense of the movie. Her complete disinterest in Mr. Sugiyama made for an attention-grabbing movie since you never knew how the movie would pan out.Masayuki really captured all elements of the film and made all the loose ends tie together at the end. The film was funny yet meaningful and showed the battles of contemporary Japan fighting to break lose of its traditional ties. Shall We Dansu shows the passion for dance and for holding your own desire against societies expectations.