Das Leben ein Tanz

Taking advantage of the mini French Film Festival at our local cinema (merci beaucoup !) I picked "Rise" with little enthusiasm but nothing else really appealed - I was hooked from the first ballet scene and I am not a huge dance aficionado. The doubly gifted Marion Barbeau is a pleasure to watch with her wonderful dancing and equally skilled acting. I know nothing of the technicalities of movie making but I thought this skilfully constructed with the storyline woven between some interesting contemporary dance - at times it was almost like watching a documentary about a modern dance troupe such was the natural 'acting' of the dancers. Brilliant from start to finish - another tour de force of French movie making !

"Art is Freedom." But even art can make you feel confined if it's not 'your' art. You can be good at something (art or not), but if it's not 'yours' it isn't freeing as it's supposed to be. This idea, along with people not being self-explorative (or in general), or not being able to afford exploration in this extremely competitive world and the importance of it is beautifully depicted in this movie. Tied with this, is the idea that setbacks in life can bring you unexpected opportunities. This is portrayed in interesting ways in the movie; in the title sequence, the music changes from classical to a more modern music as a glitch separates the two. Sometimes you'll come to understand that these are the opportunities you never knew you wanted, as if they were made just for you. This movie in my eyes, tries to convey these two major points. But it also has the classic theme of conventional and traditional ways being challenged by modern concepts that in comparison seem rawer and more freeing, and the inevitability of modernity outshining all. This can be seen through the relationship between Elise and her father, and the final scene with the line of ballet dancers. Being a fun and easy watch, I recommend this movie to anyone and everyone. And it might resonate with you as it did with me.

... as if your life depended on it ... or at least your health! No pun intended of course. The movie has dancing front and center ... but also life and things that happen to you that you can't control. Similar to actors, dancers may have issues with anyone telling them they can't do what they want and urge to do. What is life worth, if you can't do the one thing, you think is worth living for? That's a rhetorical question, though feel free to answer it for yourself.

The movie has quite the performances in it and it really is well made. The drama works, the storyline works - and the "twists" work. I would say that you can guess where the movie is leading and the ending will not be a big surprise. Yet the way it is built up ... the way it is life affirming overall ... well that all are points that hopefully will sway you ... and make you be entertained by this. Obstacles are there so you can overcome them ... nothing is impossible? Maybe ... maybe not. But try you must ...

This film actually started promising with the ballet scene, but very early it was clear what is going to happen next. And After 20 minutes I knew exactly how it's going to end , and indeed no surprises. Everything I predicted happened.

I liked the photogenic like cations, and young people do look well on camera, but that's it. The reminder of this film was mostly looking like self promotion or documentary for the Israeli choreograph, and a lot of fillers in between the almost no existing plot.

So while the dancing parts are ok or entertaining at best, there isn't much else' to draw anyone in.

This film is Recommended ,I guess, for french people, who like to indulge on their high culture, or people who like modern dance. There is no much of actual film beside it.

This story is strongly rooted in dance, if you don't find dancing fun, intriguing or dramatic enough there's barely anything else happening here that has not been done before better in a different movie.

The life of the protagonist is shown in different common facets that usually appear in drama films. The way she found ways to thrive through dance is probably the only more specific plot point to this film and since dancing is really not something that interests me i just couldn't connect with the main character.

Secondary characters are barely fleshed out at all besides her relationship with her father maybe, and just a little. That was about it. The rest is just related to her dancing career and setbacks related to it and a little bit about how some parts of society are also preconcevied to be setbacks but how life finds ways and stuff like that.

I guess acting and directing and production and everything else is alright but nothing really ever pulls you in.

Maybe if you can stream if somewhere i could say go for it, i wouldn't be satisfied with this film if i had to pay a full admission ticket to watch it.