Houston Texas comes to Sydney for Bruce Beresford’s latest movie, Mao’s Last Dancer, the dramatisation of the autobiographical bestseller of the same title.
Mao’s Last Dancer is a stirring story of a young Chinese boy, Li Cunxin, who is plucked from poverty to attend ballet school in Beijing, and suddenly expected to perform an art he didn’t understand or had shown any previous interest in. Years later, his determination to succeed and his physique drives him and brings him to the attention of Ben Stevenson (Bruce Greenwood, Star Trek (2009), I, Robot) the artistic director of Houston’s ballet school, who brings Li to study in Houston, Texas.
Li falls in love with another dancer, Elizabeth (Amanda Schull, Centre Stage), and the freedom of dancing, and decides he wants to stay in the US.
This causes a political storm and he needs lawyer Charles Foster (Kyle MacLachlan) and a US federal judge (Jack Thompson) to rescue him. Soon, he is released and the movie takes us on his struggle to settle into a new land as an exile, far from his family. But it is also his time as a dancer.
This true and classic story of struggle and triumph against the odds and doubt keeps us interested in the characters and the dancing keeps us engrossed. The ballet sequences are stunning but we didn’t need every character nodding their heads and beaming to let us know.
Beresford’s directing is heavy-handed and overly dramatic, as is Jan Sardi’s script (Shine). A key scene between Li and Elizabeth seems more like daytime soap opera than real drama. And the depiction of the Chinese seems a little too simplistic and predictable. When the central government officials ask about his family’s dedication to the revolution, Li’s father boasts “We have always been peasants!” A ballet teacher who marvels at Rudolf Nureyev is mysteriously taken away. And doubt is thrown over the fate of his parents.
Only Bruce Greenwood uses his acting credentials, and Chi Cao who plays Li Cunxin is very competent. Interestingly, Chi learned to dance at the same school as Li, and went to London at just age 15 to dance with the Royal Ballet School. Joan Chen (The Last Emperor, Twin Peaks), who plays Li’s mother, was chosen by Mao Zedong’s wife to act after impressing her on the rifle range.
Small roles by Chen, MacLachlan, Jack Thompson, Wang Shaung Bao (the father) and Penne Hackforth-Jones only highlight there is more talent than Beresford or the script know what to do with.
The emotional ending will bring many tears to the eyes, and just when you think it’s dry enough to leave, it goes for another sentimental moment. It’s ideal for those who love a good tear-jerker and can marvel at the brilliant ballet on show.
If only the acting and directing was as good, it would be as successful as the book. It will still succeed, but will probably break tissue-box records, instead of box-office ones.
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