Ray's Male Heterosexual Dance Hall

Bryan Gordon's Academy Award-winning "Ray's Male Heterosexual Dance Hall" is part indictment of the Reagan-era business world, part boundary-pusher. A young man, recently laid off, attends a dance and learns that finding a job is all about which people you know. Much like "Wall Street" (which also won an Oscar that night), it shows that the corporate world benefits only a small number of people. And it does this by showing execs dancing with each other! As in "Dirty Dancing" (which also won an Oscar that night), it depicts the characters having the time of their lives. Nobody puts Gordon Gekko types in a corner!

To us in the 21st century, the greed that dominated the '80s might seem like a distant memory. But it was all too real at the time, and the deregulation of Wall Street led to the economic collapse of 2007-2008. The only cast members whom I recognized were Lyman Ward (the dad in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"), Fred Willard (frequent co-star of Christopher Guest's movies and occasionally appearing as Phil's dad on "Modern Family") and Robert Wuhl (1989's "Batman").

All in all, good short.

If you think business decisions are made strictly on the basis of profit and loss, you need to see this short little film. Revenge, jealousy, greed and male-bonding drive most corporations into the ground. Unless you've got a good sales force, which is most likely based on, you guessed it, revenge, jealousy, greed and male-bonding. This movie is hilarious, sad, and very true.

Down on his luck and between jobs since his last employer was bought out and the workforce downsized, Sam sits alone on a park bench. He is about to go to another job interview when he bumps into his friend Cal who seems to have no trouble getting high-powered jobs. Cal takes him to a place where he makes all his contacts - an all male dance hall where executives dance and broker deals as old style music plays in the background.

I wasn't sure entirely what to expect from the film but how could I not watch a film with a title like that?! The film takes a few moments to really get going but once it does it is actually very good for audiences that will be able to see it in the context of management and executive style jobs. In fairness the digs it makes apply to lower level jobs too - over the past eight years I have had three `proper' jobs and all but the first one came about thanks to contacts. The film highlights the politics of the dancehall in the same way as making contacts in the business world - eg no one wants to dance with the `dead meat', some dancers are full of hot air and friendships will not be allowed to get in the way of progress. It is slight but it is funny, having enough material to last for the running time without really repeating any jokes.

It is a little depressing as, like the corporate world, the rest of us dance to the tune that is chosen by those with power (literally in the case of this film!). The cast are pretty good and Gaines is a likeable lead who is an `ordinary guy' slightly lost in the sea of big men. He carries the narrative well and the support cast is amusing and includes quite a few well known faces including Rasche and Wuhl.

Overall I found this to be slight but a funny and observant little piece about relationship between people in the corporate world of business. Those who have tried to progress in the white collar world may well see quite a few people and habits that they recognise, but even if you are unemployed there is enough to enjoy here in a witty little short.

When the latest corporate merger sees him out of work, "Sam" (Boyd Gaines) is sitting on a bench contemplating his limited options when his friend stops by and suggests he try out this unique meeting place. Walk through the doors and there are all the suited and booted movers and shakers - moving and shaking on the dance floor to oldies whilst talking business or avoiding talking business and just looking like they belong under one of the dance floor's discreet but significant spotlights. Our friend is initially a little self-conscious, but if he is to get anything from this man-on-man experience, he's going to have to step up to the plate. It's quite original for the first five minutes, but then I found it a little too cringemaking as the joke started to wear thin and the whole thing rather ran out pace. It's proof, though, that deals and relationships are rarely done, struck, or nurtured within the confines of an office - something I heartily agree with!

An incredible Oscar-winning short film with an incredible cast list is a must-see. Thinking outside the box in a fun and funny story that symbolizes the world of Corporate jobs.