Sundance: 'Cha Cha Real Smooth' is Frustrating, But Lands On Its Feet
Monday, January 24, 2022 at 10:32AM by Eurocheese
Cooper Raiff wrote and directed Cha Cha Real Smooth, in which he stars as Andrew, a conflicted often frustrating man. The first scenes show Andrew in romantic situations at different ages (preteen and just after college), letting the audience know two things about him: he speaks without a filter when it comes to his emotions, and he falls head over heels when he is drawn to someone. When he isn’t romantically entangled, he stays with his loving mother (Leslie Mann) and her boyfriend (Brad Garrett), who he taunts at every opportunity. (At one point, Andrew asks the boyfriend if his purpose on earth is to make things weird… which someone should have been asking him instead!)
Andrew’s outspoken nature is an excuse to be casually cruel at times though people find him charming. The script relies too heavily on this “charm,” including when he attends a bar mitzvah with his brother and meets Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her daughter Lola (Vanessa Burghardt). It’s clear he feels a spark with Domino right off the bat. The feeling is mutual though he makes remarks that would have most people running away from him...
Raiff is determined to give his quirky, cocky 22-year-old leading man an edge, but he comes on so strong, he’s difficult to watch. As a DJ at local bar and bat mitzvahs, his high energy level helps him connect with kids, but he doesn’t know how to set boundaries in his own life, much less be responsible for anyone else's wellbeing. I became increasingly exhausted by Andrew early in the film, not to mention confused that his charm is working with everyone onscreen.
While the first half is a bumpy ride, it ultimately finds its footing and acknowledges Andrew’s issues. Johnson sells some difficult dialogue early in the film, but becomes more intriguing as the film goes. Cha Cha Real Smooth is aware that Andrew can’t quite get a read on her, which helps; Domino becomes more and more intriguing as the film progresses. The final act is the highlight, nearly redeeming the rest of the film.
Early on I was ready to throw in the towel, and though I wouldn't necessarily recommend Cha Cha Real Smooth, I must admit that by the end I was glad to have seen it. Andrew may be emotionally lost, but Raiff has a clear vision as a writer/director and if you are willing to stick through it, you might ultimately find it rewarding. C
Cha Cha Real Smooth is playing the US Dramatic Competition
Reader Comments (4)
The industry hates 'Spencer' as much as Nathaniel... :(
Weird how differently people percieve this film :)
I was smitten with this gem of a romcom... and while watching I did think that it sort of relies on the charm of Dakota (not that much on the leading man - at least for me, as it was easier to put oneself in the shoes of that guy... But the guy is charming too) :)
And the ending was good, not the usual stupidity, one might expect in movies like this. But not just the ending - the road to there was full of lovely jokes and beautiful soul searching. Cool to find out (thanks to the film), that there is still some romanticist hidden inside the watcher :)
And Leslie Mann makes every movie a little bit better, wherever she appears!
My favourite ("After Yang" being close second) so far in the festival. It was B+ for me :)
Kris - You are definitely not alone in finding Raiff charming. I did appreciate the way the movie eventually commented on Dakota's charm - I wasn't expecting the film would be so self aware. Love Leslie Mann in general and I definitely could have used more of her.
Tyler -- can you tell me what you're referring to? thanks