Dance of a Dream (2001) | Hong Kong Movie World film review

Dance of a Dream (2001)

Teamwork Motion Pictures Limited | Media Asia Group

Cast: Andy Lau, Anita Mui, Sandra Ng, Lam Ka Tung, Edison Chen, Cherrie Ying, Ronald Cheng,

Lam Tze Chung, Suzanne Chung, Halina Tam, Belinda Hamnett, Shirley Huang, Stephanie Chan,

Esther Koo, Maggie Leung, Ho Shu Wing, Pang Lap Wai

Producer: Andy Lau, Andrew Lau Director: Andrew Lau

Genre: Drama | Comedy

"We sell dreams."

Dance of a Dream

During the release of Fulltime Killer, Andy Lau was performing his successful 2001 Summer

Fiesta tour, which showcased latin tango and tightly choreographed ballroom style dancing.

Taking inspiration from the concerts, Andy got some friends together and made this 'feel good'

Christmas movie about the joy of dance. While admirable in intent, Dance of a Dream

fails on several levels.

For starters, there's the story. (What story?) Andy plays dance instructor Namson Lau, who

teaches a motley group of starry eyed dance students the art of tango. Namson and his business

partner 'Faye' (Lam Ka Tung) have their minds on a bigger studio, which is gonna cost.

Luckily, hotel CEO Tina Cheung (Anita Mui) has a big Christmas party planned and she wants

Lau to be her dance partner at the soiree. He takes another student, waitress Kam (Sandra Ng),

who pays for his tutelage with free housekeeping. That's the story. Oh, and Namson may or

may not be a bit of a jerk.

Andy Lau, Anita Mui and Sandra Ng in Dance of a Dream

Despite the fact that there is hardly a story, Dance of a Dream doesn't work because none of

the main characters are likeable- with the possible exception of Sandra Ng, who basically steals

the movie. Having said that, Sandra's excitable, sheepish, ugly-duckling schtick is getting old,

her character irritated me as well. Anita Mui plays an unhappy woman and she comes off as well,

unhappy. And Andy Lau appears stale, pasty, and a little fruity.

On the positive side, the dancing is pretty good though not outstanding, and the music is nice.

There's one randomly inserted musical number, an old school Cantonese ditty in which all the

principal cast burst into song at a barbecue. Though cute, it's awkwardly placed and out of

character with the rest of the film. Another scene where Andy Lau impersonates Leslie Cheung

and sings a karaoke version of Cheung's hit "Wind Continues To Blow" is forced and unfunny,

feeling more like an in-joke than a legitimate piece of filmmaking.

Among the songs in the film are a duet between Lau and Mui, and Lau's "Closer To Your

Heart", a beautiful ballad (and one of my favorites by Andy), which, once again, had no

business belonging in this movie. Rounding out the cast are Ronald Cheng, Lam Tze Chung,
the underused Cherrie Ying, and Edison Chen as Mui's kid brother Jimmy Cheung. Andy

Lau's choreographer and dance partner on the Summer Fiesta tour, Shirley Huang, appears in

the film as well.

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