This review may contain spoilers
Watch for the tension, not for the plot (trigger warning: sexual harrassment)
This film was not a waste of my time, because I felt like it lit a spark in me that I have not seen for a long time (possibly because I took a break from films and dramas that are like these).
I would recommend this if you simply need a mere tick-in-the-box for "enemies to lovers" or even "Dance BL". Also if you like one character being like ice or snow, and the other being like fire or sunshine. That said, there are a few options that are far better. I suppose this film is a manga adaptation, so I don't even think I can blame the directors for everything that I am about to complain about.
The love shown in this film does remind me of this quote from another Japanese film, Happyend, which states, "You can say important things without words". A lot of the development of this relationship seems to be like that - without words. But in a way that seems to be almost unhealthy. The avoidant character Shinya Sugiki shows hardly any signs of true character growth. It appears that what drives his character growth is a quote about dance I find to be rather cringy - "love is what makes [dance] whole". Honestly, it seems like whatever minimal character development happens for him is pinned on this quote. Shinya Sugiki is actually a fascinating character in general, though. A lot of dichotomies. Like being self-sacrificing and also a control freak.
DON'T GET ME STARTED on the amount of boundary violations and questionable things this promotes (nothing new to BL). Stuff like Shinya Sugiki pushing his genitals against Shinya Suzuki at the start and he never even apologises for it. SEXUAL HARASSMENT HELLO? And then Shinya Suzuki literally forcing himself on Shinya Sugiki after Sugiki pushes him away. CONSENT WHERE?!!!
Cultural misrepresentation is there of The UK to some extent (I live here and it's not all old white men and women - but I suppose the ballroom scene might be like that still). But primarily of Latin American culture. The idea that Latin American dance and culture is simply "sexual" - i.e. how Suzuki describes it - is a stereotype. The British (in my eyes partly represented somehow by Sugiki) are not that cold either, although we certainly have plenty of courteous avoidants if you look in the right places, like for instance my former taste in men.
The plot makes no sense whatsoever, like how does calling someone lame then suddenly result in a surge in romantic closeness (I suppose I can see why perhaps because its like maybe the character who was called lame was like "He's the only one who sees me and will call me out for my mess"). But the reason why Sugiki keeps pulling away emotionally and physically is never made that clear, although of course self-image issues do play a role. You know what, I should give this film a bit more credit because there is at least some reasoning behind the push-and-pull dynamic. Like Sugiki talks about how he sort of became the "grim reaper", i.e. how while he wanted to replace the person in power during ballroom dances and become like a more chivalrous and warm version, he inevitably (as humans do) enjoyed being in power, and we can sort of see this leaking into his life in general.
Also, the women are sort of just supporting characters. Although they have distinct personalities, nothing about their background or story is well-developed. So if you are a fan of having side character women who actually have their own story (I know not all of you are), then this is not the film for you.
Anyway, that's it. In sum, watch for the steaminess and the aesthetics (I'll leave complaining about the smoking aesthetic for another day), but keep a critical mind and separate this romance and the cultural depictions from reality as much as you can. Or maybe that's what I need to do with my pattern of being drawn to avoidants in the past.
I would recommend this if you simply need a mere tick-in-the-box for "enemies to lovers" or even "Dance BL". Also if you like one character being like ice or snow, and the other being like fire or sunshine. That said, there are a few options that are far better. I suppose this film is a manga adaptation, so I don't even think I can blame the directors for everything that I am about to complain about.
The love shown in this film does remind me of this quote from another Japanese film, Happyend, which states, "You can say important things without words". A lot of the development of this relationship seems to be like that - without words. But in a way that seems to be almost unhealthy. The avoidant character Shinya Sugiki shows hardly any signs of true character growth. It appears that what drives his character growth is a quote about dance I find to be rather cringy - "love is what makes [dance] whole". Honestly, it seems like whatever minimal character development happens for him is pinned on this quote. Shinya Sugiki is actually a fascinating character in general, though. A lot of dichotomies. Like being self-sacrificing and also a control freak.
DON'T GET ME STARTED on the amount of boundary violations and questionable things this promotes (nothing new to BL). Stuff like Shinya Sugiki pushing his genitals against Shinya Suzuki at the start and he never even apologises for it. SEXUAL HARASSMENT HELLO? And then Shinya Suzuki literally forcing himself on Shinya Sugiki after Sugiki pushes him away. CONSENT WHERE?!!!
Cultural misrepresentation is there of The UK to some extent (I live here and it's not all old white men and women - but I suppose the ballroom scene might be like that still). But primarily of Latin American culture. The idea that Latin American dance and culture is simply "sexual" - i.e. how Suzuki describes it - is a stereotype. The British (in my eyes partly represented somehow by Sugiki) are not that cold either, although we certainly have plenty of courteous avoidants if you look in the right places, like for instance my former taste in men.
The plot makes no sense whatsoever, like how does calling someone lame then suddenly result in a surge in romantic closeness (I suppose I can see why perhaps because its like maybe the character who was called lame was like "He's the only one who sees me and will call me out for my mess"). But the reason why Sugiki keeps pulling away emotionally and physically is never made that clear, although of course self-image issues do play a role. You know what, I should give this film a bit more credit because there is at least some reasoning behind the push-and-pull dynamic. Like Sugiki talks about how he sort of became the "grim reaper", i.e. how while he wanted to replace the person in power during ballroom dances and become like a more chivalrous and warm version, he inevitably (as humans do) enjoyed being in power, and we can sort of see this leaking into his life in general.
Also, the women are sort of just supporting characters. Although they have distinct personalities, nothing about their background or story is well-developed. So if you are a fan of having side character women who actually have their own story (I know not all of you are), then this is not the film for you.
Anyway, that's it. In sum, watch for the steaminess and the aesthetics (I'll leave complaining about the smoking aesthetic for another day), but keep a critical mind and separate this romance and the cultural depictions from reality as much as you can. Or maybe that's what I need to do with my pattern of being drawn to avoidants in the past.
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