Shall We Dance

   While visiting with a friend a few weeks ago she expressed concern over her nieces.  They had said that Moulin Rouge (2001) is a beautiful love story.  My friend was very upset by this comment.  "That is not a love story!" she said.  "It's not real, and teenage girls shouldn't view it that way." She has never even seen the movie and some of her other comments and concerns didn't really apply but that is neither here nor there. I can however see her point and I understand where she is coming from, I even agree in a way. Having said that I do have to admit that I LOVE Moulin Rouge. (Another blog maybe?) Not only that but my girls, ages 17 and 15, also love the movie.  We watch it a lot. 
    Moulin Rouge may not be a "love story" and it may not be "real" but, Shall We Dance (2004) is. My girls and I watched Shall We Dance the other day.  It is such a beautiful story I thoroughly enjoy it every time.  John Clark, played by Richard Gere (Pretty Woman, Chicago, Primal Fear) is a very happily married man. He has a loving wife played by Susan Sarandon (Thelma and Louise, Lovely Bones, Dead Man Walking) and a loving teenage daughter played by Tamara Hope (The Deep End, Saint Ralph).  He feels that something is still missing. The family is kind of in a bit of a rut. They just go through the routine of the day.
      This leads to John taking ballroom lessons. In the beginning he takes lessons just to get to know Paulina. Paulina is played by Jennifer Lopez (Angel eyes, Maid in Manhattan, Monster-in-law, An Unfinished Life) He tells her, she looked on the outside the way he felt on the inside. What a statement.  His daughter begins to notice how happy he is, then she and her mom begin to wonder at the change.  John finds out that he loves dancing and it makes him happy. I don't want to spoil it for you if you haven't seen it yet but it is very good!
      About ten minutes into the movie my 17 year old daughter asked "Is he going to fall in love with his wife?" I will tell you that he does. He never really fell out of love with her but they do find a new passion. Shall We Dance is a beautiful, "real" story about marriage. It takes honesty, communication, room to grow and change to make a marriage work. 
      My husband and I were married at a young age. Some of the best advice my mom gave me was to give each other the time and space to grow.  I believe that applies to every marriage no matter your age or how long you have been together. 
      One of my favorite scenes is when John and his wife Beverly finally talk about what has been going on.  He tells her "The one thing I am proudest of in my whole life, is that you're happy with me. If I couldn't ..... if I couldn't tell you that I was unhappy sometimes, it's because I didn't want to risk hurting the one person I treasure most. I'm so sorry."  By this point I am crying and my girls are laughing at me.  This movie makes me cry no matter how many times I watch it.  It didn't help that my husband walked in at that point and agreed with Richard Gere, "it's true, that is all I want is to make you happy."
       Some movies have a way of becoming very personal to me. They just get under my skin and burrow their way into my being. Those are the ones I love the most!