I personally preferred the Japanese (original) version of this movie, even though this was a remarkably accurate shot for shot remake for a good percentage of the film. It is well done but unnecessary because the original was so perfect. Also, the whole premise (that ballroom dancing is inherently kind of daring even without the element of infidelity) only makes sense in Japan, not U.S. The "Japaneseness" is part if the charm of the original. It's worth your while to come to terms with the subtitles.

I LOVE this movie! If you love Richard or Jlo and dance you will be so in love!! I love the movie so much until this day that I decided to search Amazon (you know they have everything) and I found it cheaper than renting it on tv! I have been a dancer most of my life from 3 years to current and now we are finally in Ballroom dance! This movie is entertaining and I just love mature Richard, he’s so easy on the eyes!! Jlo has always been such a graceful and powerful dancer!! The entire cast was awesome!! You won’t be disappointed. The movie has me wanting to dance with them!

I can't say enough good. I am in love with this movie. The beauty and sincerity the Actors portray. It's a love thing all the way around. Richard Gere is one of the very best Actors, and his dancing is out of this World. If you have a Romantic bone in you watching him dance will definitely bring it out and you will want to dance1
Susan Sarandon and Jennifer Lopez also get a thumbs. Their beauty was enticing. Thank You. Sincerely.

I found this film to be a delightful and entertaining tale of turning a colorless existence into a work of art. The role is quite different for Richard Gere and he pulls it of flawlessly. After years as a probate lawyer and all the excitement of that profession, he does some soul searching. He spots a beautiful woman in a third floor window of a dance studio and starts thinking. One thing leads to another and he finds himself climbing the stairs to the studio and his life changing adventure.
Gere endures the uneasiness of something completely new and out of character and eventually becomes a better than average dancer, good enough to be competitive. Along the way he acquires some delightfully unorthodox dance companions and a budding (non-romantic) friendship with the beautiful Jennifer Lopez. Naturally, his wife of many years learns of his dance activities from a private investigator and begins to fear the worst until the investigator tells her her husband is simply learning how to dance. She wonders why he has not told her about his new passion.
Predictably, the couple go through a rough patch but all's well that ends well.
The dance scenes are great as is the music, but the core of the story is a middle aged man finding himself and ultimately enhancing his marriage in the process. Well done.

I had company and the movie was recommended from a dancer but none of us could make an assessment on what it was about. The words coming out of everyone's mouth weren't in sync with their lips and we found ourselves watching their lips, trying to lip reading and connect with the dancing. It was impossible and frustrating to understand what was going on since the focus was on watching their lips. Please issue a refund.

nice script good story... richard gear....a seemingly happy family guy- wife, two children, a successful attourney, home.... etc- the american dream- becomes a little bored, suddenly feels unfullfilled especially when passing a dance studio while riding the EL home from work. (He also spots a beautiful Jennifer Lopez looking out the window of the studio) He acts on his feelings of "wanting more" to perk up his life" by leaving the el and enrolling in 8 dancing lessons- once a week for 8 weeks- at the studio. Withoutout telling his wife or kids he begins to learn to dance. Thus story begins and revolves around his learning to dance with proficiency and his interactions with the other instructors and four other students that he meets. All eventually enter a final competition similar to what one sees on Dancing with the Stars. But it is the interactions with the students- including the beautiful Lopez- the dancing- & Gears final revelations to his family about learning to dance due to his desire to "get a littlemore out of life" that make up this full, well written and acted story. Especially for Gear and Lopez fans- and for those who enjoy dancing and/or watching others dance.

Having seen both the original Japanese version and this Americanized re-make, I have to say that, although it got to be a bit of a drag watching J Lo wearing her "I've been wounded and may never recover" face in scene after scene after scene (enough already!) this movie is so uplifting and joyous. Richard Gere is perfectly cast as John Clark, the successful Chicago attorney who yearns for something more than his practically perfect life has given him, as is Susan Sarandon who plays his wife Beverly -- but IMHO, Stanley Tucci walks away with top honors in this film, hands down, in his portrayal of Link, the "in-the-closet" sports writer-turned-ballroom-dance-junky. He is brilliant! -- as is his sometime antagonist (and eventual partner) Bobbie, marvelously played by Lisa Ann Walter. The dance scenes are awesome -- the ensemble acting is as close to perfect as you can get -- and you are on your feet cheering by the end of the film. I have watched this movie at least half dozen times -- it always picks me up -- and unless you can't get enjoy a movie if people aren't dying and things aren't blowing up for 90% of the screen time, you will like this flick as well : )

This was good. I like when Paulina put Mr. Clark in his place when she refused to go to dinner with him. Seems to me it snapped him out of his moment of being as close to cheating on his lovely wife as he'd ever been in in his seemingly solid marriage. A momentary lapse, Mr. Clark, I forgive you.

Richard Gere is so versatile. He didn't do a lot full of dance routines but what he did do, he did well. Smooth. Jennifer Lopez is in her element but there's some stiffness and artificiality in her performance -- not so on the floor -- that lady can dance. Love that Latin dance in the dimness Mr. Clark had with Paulina. Sexy. They're both so hot -- lick your finger, touch them and hear the ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.