comedy
Roaringly funny and profound: “Last Dance”
François Berléand as Germain and Maria Ribot as La Ribot in a scene from the film “Last Dance”. photo
© -/Arsenal Filmverleih/dpa
An unathletic, overweight 75-year-old as a star of modern dance theater? That can only be ridiculous, right? The comedy “Last Dance” effectively reduces this prejudice to absurdity.
The story begins with a shock: Germaine (François Berléand) and Lise (Dominique Reymond) were just happy. Suddenly he finds himself alone after 50 years of marriage. Lise died completely unexpectedly. What remains is a promise: They had promised each other that, as survivors, they would each complete the most important unfinished project of the other person who had died. For the overweight, unathletic Germaine, this means that he has to take on Lise’s tasks in a dance ensemble.
Subtle humor instead of loud comedy
The constellation of old men and modern dance could easily create comical comedy. But the Swiss author and director Delphine Lehericey avoids this with subtle humor. Like in every good one Comedy is often based on serious humor. It highlights the fact that civil society too often denies old people the right to a self-determined life.
In Germaine’s case, it is primarily the children who make life difficult for him by caring too much. He perceives their great efforts as surveillance at every turn. However, with the help of the world-famous Spanish-Swiss choreographer La Ribot, who plays herself in the film, Germaine manages to escape the golden cage. The young dancer Samir (Kacey Mottet Klein) supports him significantly.
Film site
Wordplay, situational comedy and thoughtfulness lead many a burst of laughter to tears of sadness. But it will never be sentimental. This is ensured by the acting ensemble led by the Parisian theater star François Berléand (“The Children of Monsieur Mathieu”) as Germaine. The actors shine with a noticeable desire to play. The film might encourage some moviegoers to try modern dance themselves. It won the coveted audience award at the 2022 International Film Festival in Locarno.
– Last Dance, Switzerland/Belgium 2022, 84 min., by Delphine Lehericey, with François Berléand, Kacey Mottet Klein.