The Last Dance (1999)

A seemingly simple film, "The Last Dance" is a beautiful essay on romance and relationships. Using the visuals of some older couples dancing, the film takes this opportunity to delve into a voice over narrative that communicates ideas and thoughts on romance, marriage and a life lived together. It's pure poetry.

While other films use visuals to tell a story, the text, the narrative of "The Last Dance" is what causes the momentum here. We watch the sweet and slightly odd visuals of the older couples but it is the words, the poetic voice-over, which intones their feelings, that truly make the film unique.

Filmmaker Alwine van Heemstra told us that she generated this narrative by writing out her feelings when about to be married. She then separated her thoughts into general topics and gave these ideas to a screenwriter she knew. The voice she generates by doing this is one that questions the nature of existence and the nature of relationships. It is thoughtful and thought provoking. It causes us to question the nature of our own thoughts and desires and our own feelings about loss and life and relationships. It's a passionate and intricate work. It is poetic.

Perhaps it works best because it comes to us in another voice, another language. The thoughts then have to be superimposed over the images, with subtitles. This causes the film to be involving and interesting. It's like watching and hearing the details of those deep inner secrets we almost don't dare to reveal to ourselves.

Report Card

Script: A+

Acting: A

Cinematography\Lighting: C

Special Effects\Make Up: C+

Music: C

Final Grade: A-