Mao's Last Dancer

This is a movie in which the elements of the story that it tells are its greatest strength.  The story itself is somewhat standard, but the context of the story gives the story tremendous drama.  Even though it is a classic "against all odds kind of story", there is a lot more to this movie.  This movie's setting is what gives it power.

Chi Cao is a young boy who lives in a rural part of China.  During his boyhood, he is picked by government officials to be taken to Beijing and be trained in the discipline of ballet.  His mother and father, given no choice in the matter, watch him go, not knowing when they might see him again.  As a young man, he has become a fine dancer, due to his tenacity and drive.  He is noticed by an English ballet director who is working in Houston.  Chi is allowed to go to America to pursue dance.  While he is in America, things get complicated, in spite of the government agents warning warning him of the dangers in the American influence.

Again, what makes the film work is the context.  The cultural clashes faced by Chi Cao are what makes the movie effective.  We all know of the differences between Capitalism and Communism, but to see them depicted before us on the screen does make a difference.  As Chi Cao has before him the choice to pursue his own happiness, he is forced to contemplate that principle next to the principle that his worth is to be found in the collective of China.  This is a classic conflict of individual versus community, and it plays out very well on the screen.  Some of the most effective moments of the film depict the emotional turmoil for Chi Cao as he is forced to decide between the country and culture of his youth and this new culture in which he is honeymooning.  In one scene, Chi Cao watches in amazement as a man with whom he is socializing openly expresses how much he hates the president.  Chi Cao expresses fear for his acquaintance, since he has had the audacity to criticize a member of government.

The movie's weakness to me resided in the fact that some of the communist officials  came off as a bit of a caricature.  Granted, I have never lived in a communist country, so the depictions may be right on.  It just seemed as though the depictions were a bit broad.  As such, the story is somewhat black and white, while I suspect the reality is more gray.  At the same time, the basic freedoms I take for granted are indeed wonderful to have.  But again, my assumption is that personal liberty is the be all end all, rather than the collective good.  This movie depicts this struggle quite well.  Though it is made by westerners, I feel that it shows a certain context to the Chinese way of life that is somewhat sympathetic.  The film's emotional climax is made all the more real due to the world that the film depicts.

The performances in the movie are all great.  Bruce Beresford, the film's director, has quietly presided over several fine films ("Tender Mercies", "Driving Miss Daisy", "Evelyn").  These films all do a wonderful job of capturing small human drama.  They are not epics, but they are able to find a lot of grand meaning in small events.  The events in life for one or two people can show us something about all of us.  This movie does that very well, as the longings of one man (for freedom, love and family) are shown on the screen.