Shall We Dance (2004)

Having watched a DVD of the original Japanese film from 1996 not that long ago (it was yet another instance of a film having disappeared into the woodwork on these shores) and having enjoyed it enormously, I didn't hold out much hope for the American re-make with Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez, and Susan Sarandon in the leads, especially since the first two stars have their annoying moments.  Well I was wrong and it is a more than adequate watch.  It sticks closely to the original without too much soppy sentimentalizing that one might have expected, and is in fact quite good fun.  Much of this is down to comic characters; foremost of these is Stanley Tucci, who is not afraid to make an ass of himself as a drab lawyer who becomes a flamboyant dancer when he wears his wig, but Bobby Cannavale and Omar Miller as Gere's fellow new dance students are good value too.  Gere also manages to prove that he can be a very able actor -- too often he seems to walk through his films -- and even Lopez is in fine fettle here.  That will teach me not to pre-judge remakes before I have seen them, although usually expecting the worst is unfortunately justified.