Customer Reviews

Bootmen [VHS]

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

BOOTMEN with all its predictablity, is still an entertaining film mainly because of the engaging characters and the fact that it has something that is missing in film for so many years..tap dancing! Set in a small town near Sydney, Australia, a steel worker (Adam Garcia as Sean)yearns to be a professional tap dancer. Along the way, he is discouraged by his father(also a steel worker), has a falling out with his brother (Sam Worthington as Mitchell) over a girl, and fails at his chance to be on a tap chorus line in a major stage production in Sydney. He decides, againts all odds, to create his own tap dancing show and recruits friends to be in his production. Then he is given permission at the steel mill to use an empty warehouse to rehearse and renovate to put on his show. At first, the show is to showcase his talent, but when the steelmill announces a layoff and shutdown, he uses the show as a benefit to raise money for awareness and re-training for the soon to be unemployed steel workers. The sublot is Sean's brother's illegal automobile chop shop business and his affair with Sean's girlfriend which seems a little heavyhanded compared to the upbeat foreground of the main plot. Otherwise, BOOTMEN delivers on inventive tap dancing to a Rock 'n' Roll beat, a decent plot, and characters to care about.

While I was waiting for this movie to arrive, I searched out comments from the critics. Sadly, I didn't find a lot of glowing reviews. Most were downright tepid. But I don't know why ... I found it an excellent movie that I've already watched again several times. I expected to like it simply because hot Aussie hunk Adam Garcia is in it. That was great to be sure. But the movie itself was really good in my opinion. Getting to see Adam dance is just the icing on the cake. A good story, a hot guy, and some great dancing. This ain't your grandmother's tap ... Bootmen rocks!

Dein Perry's Aussie stage sensation "Tap Dogs" is the basis for this frenzied, feel-good dance musical about a young Aussie steel worker who creates an industrial strength tap show to raise money for a very worthy cause. Yes, the plot is old hat. So are the characters, the subplots, the conflicts and the happy ending. But so what. This isn't David Mamet or Arthur Miller. And that's o.k. It's "The Full Monty," "Summer Stock," "Andy Hardy" and "Billy Elliott" revisited. You also get handsome faces, sweaty bodies, pretty girls, orange sunsets, crashing waves, a pumped-up score and a great performance by screen newcomer Adam Garcia. In case you've forgotten, Garcia created the role of Tony Manero in the London stage version of "Saturday Night Fever." He was sensational. Here, he dances on steel beams, pipes and metal floors while Perry turns up the heat using some of this famous "Tap Dogs" routines. When not dancing, Garcia displays his "let's put on a show" persona matter-of-factly, making you cheer him on his his quest to prove to his fellow Aussies that if you want something hard enough, it will come true. If you want escapism, you'll find it here. You'll also succumb to Garcia's charms in much the same manner as those lucky enough to catch him live in "London's West End. Following the film, watch "Tap Dogs." That's also available on DVD and VHS.

This is a great Aussie movie. I saw it for the first time in Australia and am glad that it's finally available in America.It won't change your life, but if you're going to watch a movie - you'll probably enjoy this one. It's about growing up - doing the right thing and taking care of the people you love. If you liked Coyote Ugly, you'll like this movie. Also of note, this movie and the director inspired the workmen tap sequence during the opening of the Sydney 2000 Olympic games.

I was standing in line at the video store waiting to check out, when I glanced to the new release wall and this one jumped out at me. I was already a fan of Adam Garcia from "Coyote Ugly", so I read the back, thought it sounded interesting, and decided to rent it. I was so pleased! It's a great movie, full of romance, drama, and lots of great tap dancing. Think "The Full Monty" meets "Stomp" and you have "Bootmen." I highly recommend this movie - it's worth it!

(...)

Stumbled across Bootmen channel surfing on Saturday morning! Wow what fun! My whole family got hooked into watching it. A great "story" similiar to "October Sky" or "Billy Elliot" along with the dancing! I decided I had to buy this so I could watch it over....and over. Plus watching Adam Garcia is not difficult! He's a hunk! How come we havn't seen more of this guy? Certainly not a multi-million dollar production but well worth my time and money!

When I first watched this movie, I must confess that I only was interested because Adam Garcia (total hunk) was starring in it. But to my surprise, this movie has a great story to it. I found myself not watching it because of Garcia, but because I was really interested in the story line. The dancing in this movie is so amazing - it must have taken these guys months to learn those moves! It really is a great movie so don't listen to all those critics who "hated it" - go out and rent this movie. Trust me - you'll want it as part of your movie collection!

Thsi movie is a must for all who enjoy tap danicng. The choreography is outstanding and Adam Garcia is wonderful.

Great family entertainment & should appeal to all ages. Very entertaining and the dancing is great and storyline and acting very good as well.

I loved this movie! It has everything I look for - good story, good acting, characters you can care about. The tapping was great, and it was wonderful to see men who were built like men and not teenage girls doing the dancing. It's also about love and loyalty. I didn't recognize any of the actors, all Australian, but it didn't matter and actually made it more real. This movie is defintely a keeper!