A film about love, loss and resilience,“Ha Chan, Shake Your Booty” is a joyful delight. Set in Tokyo’s vibrant competitive ballroom dancing scene, with Latin music pulsing, we meet Haru, at home in a world of kinetic energy. After a devastating loss, she withdraws from dancing and family, with only the shadowy figures she imagines as company. Her sisters and a coterie of friends cajole and support her, eventually encouraging her back to the dance studio. There, a new instructor sparks an irresistible desire to return to the dance floor, and to life.
An exhilarating blend of comedy, drama and magic realism, the film is deeply charming and a little unhinged. Yes, there’s flashmobs and vibrant color, but also deep emotional truth in each of the well-drawn characters. With roots in both Mexico and Japan, the movie brims with cultural references and visual feasts.
Director Josef Kubota Wladyka credits his mother for inspiring the character of Haru: her persistence, love of dancing and embrace of the messiness of life. Rinko Kikuchi brings an enchanting vitality and grace to the role. The music has its own starring role, as the source of joy that propels the film’s characters to move.
On the KPCW rating system, “Ha Chan, Shake Your Booty" receives four suns out of five.
