Jibug

Machida and Takeuchi performed beautifully in this movie. One specializing in ballroom and the other in Latin American dance. As someone who knows little about either, it was interesting to see their perspective on their craft. One scene in particular stood out to me where Machida's character places Takeuchi's in a stance showing the perspective of a women's position in ballroom dance. The endurance, pain, and strength that is hidden away behind a seemingly effortless performance where Machida exposes the audacity of Takeuchi's attitude without considering their partner's perspective. It was so intriguing to see the way they approach their art in different ways while challenging each other.

Both actors embodied their characters well and the tension and emotion between them is so visible. You dont need them to speak to see meaning behind their silence. But, they leave you on edge, then pull back, then they step closer, only to leave you behind wanting more. It's a back and forth pull that for me didn’t quite satisfy me at the end. But if we were to continue this metaphor, they are quite literally dancing back and forth around their feelings. While i wanted them to cross the line a bit more with each other, it's not enough to completely deter my enjoyment of the movie. I accept the tease. But understand that I didn't necessarily needed anything physical from them. They maintain an emotional distance between each other. Sometimes it cracks, but it left me wanting them to cross the emotional threshold a bit more.

What bothered me is actually the little things that, when stacked together, really annoyed me. It's the unnatural acting of the background characters. The onlookers gossiping very loudly almost as if they are twirling their mustache and cartoonishly giving a play by play of "did you hear about what happened to his ex-girlfriend" or "it's ashame he lost by a small margin" or "this is no competition....it's a brawl!!!" harrumph. Who says that? The reading-from-a-script-like commentary in the background to rile the lead characters to overhear the chatter.

Another example of this is Martha (a mother figure and mentor to Machida's character) who you have no emotional connection to and gets a brief introduction into the story. Yet she delivers a significant message of the movie. Her voice repeatedly echoed at various points throughout the movie reminding us that "Dance is neither about technique or stamina, Love is what makes it whole." I feel myself cringing again.

These actors are more than capable of communicating this message without having it spelled out and overtly lectured by a character that shows up for mere seconds. It felt cheesy and unnecessary against the very raw emotions the actors themselves were delvering. Also, the music choices didn't quite do it for me at times. Like the very overplayed music of Korean pianist Yiruma's River Flows in You when they turn on the music for the first time when practicing ballroom dancing. A significant milestone in their sessions together and all I could think about is wishing they played music that isnt so recognizable at times. I realize this might just be my association in this particular case. Dont get me wrong, the music is beautiful and beloved. But there was a time in Korea that it got so overplayed that they used it in gag concerts or shows for comedic effect that in a significant scene like this i got distracted.

But, I'll end with a good note. That first snow scene was so beautifully done and so iconic to me. I loved everything about it and I played it back an unhealthy amount of times. It will stick with me for a while❄️. Overall not a perfect movie for me, but well worth seeing these actors perform.