"HA-CHAN, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY!" - MINI-REVIEW
Simultaneously earnest and nutty, HA-CHAN, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY! is almost as fun to watch as its title is fun to say.
The great Rinko Kikuchi (BABEL, KUMIKO THE TREASURE HUNTER) sparkles in this whimsical cross-cultural dramedy that is as sensual and dazzling as the dance that passionately courses through its leading lady’s veins, and as messy and random as the grief she is working to suppress.
Veteran TV director Josef Kubota Wladyka helms this love letter to his mother (a competitive ballroom dancer, now in her 80s) with gusto, and his film is perfectly cast and exquisitely choreographed, with fabulous costume design (by Babymix) and production design (by Masami Tanaka).
A sort-of STRICTLY BALLROOM as directed by a less caffeinated Daniels, the results are a bit uneven (and the film overall could be shorter), but the stuff that delights absolutely delights.
HA-CHAN, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY! Open in theaters this weekend.
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