Shall We Dance?

This comedy about a straitlaced Japanese businessman, Shohei Sugiyama (Koji Yakusho), who takes ballroom-dancing classes in order to meet a gorgeous but aloof dance instructor, was a huge hit at home -- the phrase "the SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER of Japan" has been bandied about. Don't expect any pulse-pounding, pelvis-grinding dance-floor action, though: It's unquestionably a charming picture, but you have to get the cultural context straight. For those who don't know that such free-spirited activities as ballroom dancing are frowned upon in Japan, and that ignoring your spouse is considered quite normal, hero Sugiyama's behavior is sometimes puzzling. When Shohei begins...