IMDb RATING
6.9/10
6.9K
YOUR RATING
A police detective in a South American country is dedicated to hunting down a revolutionary guerilla leader.A police detective in a South American country is dedicated to hunting down a revolutionary guerilla leader.A police detective in a South American country is dedicated to hunting down a revolutionary guerilla leader.
- Awards
- 1 win & 3 nominations
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe story is inspired by the Maoist insurgency in Peru known as the Shining Path. Its leader Abimael Guzmán, who was known by the nom de guerre President Gonzalo, was captured in an apartment above a ballet studio in the capital city of Lima in 1992. The ballet teacher Yolanda was based on Maritza Garrido Lecca, the woman in whose apartment Guzmán was found. Bardem's character was inspired by Benedicto Jimenez and Gen. Antonio Ketin Vidal, the leading figures responsible for Guzmán's capture.
- GoofsWhen Sucre & Llosa arrest the young woman in orange, she has been handcuffed to the ceiling of the car. But then en route, soldiers simply drag her out of the backseat. No handcuff keys. No bolt cutters.
- Quotes
Agustín Rejas: I'd like to have a list of staff with access to the President's chambers.
Calderón: Luckily there are only two of them. The first is named 'Fuck', the second is named 'Off'.
- Crazy creditsThe producers would like to thank ... the residents of Narcisos Street ...
- ConnectionsFeatured in Revealing 'the Dancer Upstairs' (2003)
- SoundtracksViagens Interditas
(1995)
Written by Pedro Malgheas (as Pedro Ayres) and Rodrigo Leão
Performed by Madredeus
Licensed by Dpte. de Productos Especiales de
(p) EMI Odean, S.A., Madrid, Spain, 2001 exclusive rights holder
Featured review
A very interesting movie with a semi-political subject
Having seen "Being John Malkovich" recently, I expected a lot from "The Dancer Upstairs" and I have to admit that I really was enchanted by it. Even though it never says which country in South America this story is based on, it's clear that it must be Peru. There just are too many references to the rebel movement The Shining Path, president Fujimori... But it's good that it never says that it is actually Peru. There are more South American dictatorships, more rebel movements...
It tells the story of an ex-lawyer who has become police officer, because he wanted justice to be done in the right way. He has to hunt down and arrest a revolutionary guerilla leader, but as he digs deeper, he'll find out that more people are actually supporting the rebels than he thought, even the people that he never suspected...
What I liked so much about the movie is the way it portrays everything. It doesn't fear to show the violence committed by both sides, but also shows the beautiful side of the country (its landscapes, its culture,...). Some say this is clearly a right-wing movie and that Malkovich is right wing as well. What has the political preference of the director to do with it? This movie isn't right-wing, nor is it left-wing. It clearly shows both sides, giving you the police detective who works for the right-wing government, who falls in love with the left-wing activist.
If there is one remark that I have to make, than it must be the fact that the actors didn't speak in Spanish. Now they had some weird Spanish-English accent. But all the rest was really very good. I give it an 8.5/10.
It tells the story of an ex-lawyer who has become police officer, because he wanted justice to be done in the right way. He has to hunt down and arrest a revolutionary guerilla leader, but as he digs deeper, he'll find out that more people are actually supporting the rebels than he thought, even the people that he never suspected...
What I liked so much about the movie is the way it portrays everything. It doesn't fear to show the violence committed by both sides, but also shows the beautiful side of the country (its landscapes, its culture,...). Some say this is clearly a right-wing movie and that Malkovich is right wing as well. What has the political preference of the director to do with it? This movie isn't right-wing, nor is it left-wing. It clearly shows both sides, giving you the police detective who works for the right-wing government, who falls in love with the left-wing activist.
If there is one remark that I have to make, than it must be the fact that the actors didn't speak in Spanish. Now they had some weird Spanish-English accent. But all the rest was really very good. I give it an 8.5/10.
helpful•254
- philip_vanderveken
- Dec 18, 2004
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $2,377,348
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $106,142
- May 4, 2003
- Gross worldwide
- $5,227,348
- Runtime2 hours 12 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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![Javier Bardem and Laura Morante in The Dancer Upstairs (2002)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZDEzM2YxMmQtN2U3OC00ODEzLWExZDMtOWRiYWEwMjM1NjQ5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTY5Nzc4MDY@._V1_QL75_UY133_CR0,0,90,133_.jpg)