| | |  | Ballets & Classics | Home » » » The Dancer Upstairs | | | | | | | Description: | | This taut political thriller set in Latin America marks John Malkovich's explosive directorial debut. Academy Award nominee Javier Bardem (Best Actor, 2000 - Before Night Falls) stars as legit policeman Agustin Rejas, who faces the greatest challenge of his career - to catch the leader of a terrorist movement threatening to collapse his government, while being stopped at every turn by his own corrupt superiors. As the fight becomes more ferocious, Rejas' search brings him ever closer to the guerrilla leader. But when, amidst the chaos, he falls in love with his daughter's ballet teacher (Laura Morante), Rejas must choose between his heart, his country, and his own well-being. | | | Product Details: | | | Actors:
| Montserrat Astudillo, Javier Bardem, Marie-Anne Berganza, Juan Diego Botto, Luís Miguel Cintra | | Format:
| Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC | | Language:
| English, French, Spanish | | Subtitle:
| English, Spanish | | Number of Discs:
| 1 | | Studio:
| 20th Century Fox | | Run Time:
| 135 minutes | | DVD Release Date:
| September 23, 2003 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 55 reviews |
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| $1.50 | Used
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- Mint | | | $4.52 | New | | | $4.53 | New | | | $4.94 | Used
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- VeryGood | | | $5.98 | New | | | $5.99 | New | | | $6.02 | New | | | $7.95 | New | | | $7.99 | New | | | $7.99 | New | | | $8.75 | Used
- Mint | | | $9.27 | New | | | $9.98 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $9.99 | New | | | $9.99 | New | | | $10.00 | Collectible
- Mint | | | $19.99 | New | | | $22.98 | New | | | $22.99 | New | | | $24.79 | New | | | $24.80 | New | | | $24.85 | New | | | $24.87 | New | | | $27.95 | New | | | $29.97 | New | | | $39.98 | New | |
| New | |
| $4.52 | New | | | $4.53 | New | | | $5.98 | New | | | $5.99 | New | | | $6.02 | New | | | $7.95 | New | | | $7.99 | New | | | $7.99 | New | | | $9.27 | New | | | $9.98 This item is eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. | New | | | $9.99 | New | | | $9.99 | New | | | $19.99 | New | | | $22.98 | New | | | $22.99 | New | | | $24.79 | New | | | $24.80 | New | | | $24.85 | New | | | $24.87 | New | | | $27.95 | New | | | $29.97 | New | | | $39.98 | New | |
| Used | |
| $1.50 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $1.74 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $1.99 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $1.99 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $3.29 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $3.95 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $3.99 | Used
- Mint | | | $4.00 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $4.08 | Used
- Mint | | | $4.50 | Used
- Mint | | | $4.94 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $4.99 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $5.09 | Used
- VeryGood | | | $8.75 | Used
- Mint | |
| Collectible | |
| $10.00 | Collectible
- Mint | |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
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1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Texture Over Flash and Bang....Sep 26, 2009
2003's "The Dancer Upstairs" is an underappreciated but very worthwhile departure from the standard movie drama. It is a thinly fictionalized account of the pursuit of the murderous head of the Peruvian Maoist terrorist group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path). What could easily have been a flashy, violent thriller is, in Director John Malkovich's treatment, a slow-burning, richly textured movie centered on its characters and its location.
Javier Bardem is superb, and subtle, as a middle-aged detective charged with the pursuit of the leader of the terrorists. His edge is a chance encounter with the otherwise faceless suspect many years earlier. His methodical pursuit of a thin trail of clues is complicated by competition and corruption within the law enforcement community and by his own troubled personal life, not least his interest in his daughter's ballet teacher.
The movie's studiously even-handed presentation provides a textured look at the Peruvian society of the day, including our detective's uncertain links to his own Quechua heritage. This approach may distract viewers looking for police procedural content, but it imparts significant emotional content to the ending of the movie. "The Dancer Upstairs" is very highly recommended to the patient viewer looking for something different in a movie drama.
 2.5 stars out of 4Apr 20, 2009
The Bottom Line:
With a central mystery that never captivates the audience and a vacant performance by Javier Bardem in the lead, The Dancer Upstairs is a draggy and ho-hum political thriller that can be safely left on whatever shelf you find it.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 well acted and tense dramaDec 14, 2008
An interesting film with fine acting - the threatening political situation is a shadowy force throughout and the moral dilemmas are interesting. Bardem is wonderful
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Malkovich being MalkovichMar 07, 2008
Whether he is in front of the screen or behind the screen, John Malkovich is my guy!
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 DissapointingFeb 03, 2008
I was disappointed by this movie. Although it has Laura Morante and Javier Bardem in it, and their acting is well done, the movie itself lacks so many things it I couldn't wait for it to be over. The film is slow, tedious and somewhat boring. Also, the plot is a bit confused and convoluted. The film fails to draw the viewer in and fails to tie many many things together. Several things are never explained which left me feeling confused and unable to better appreciate this movie. I just didn't like it much.
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