Diagonaldi
Very well executed
Brightlyme
i know i wasted 90 mins of my life.
Twilightfa
Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.
Lollivan
It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
mcarman-83803
Danzón is a fantastic movie which through its exploration of love, lust, and the female experience brings the viewer to laugh and cry and think deeply about the realities of everyday life.I absolutely adored this movie. I am not usually one for romantic movies. I often find them to be too similar plot-wise to hold my interest for very long, and as a gay man I really do get tired of the lack of representation in movies, or even worse, representation that only furthers homonegative stereotypes. Danzón, however was original in its plot and explored themes of gender and sexuality which are often ignored or barely touched upon in movies. I think the most enjoyable part of the film for me was the degree to which I was able to immerse myself in Julia's experience. From her uncomfortable impromptu "date" in the restaurant, to her fling with a man she didn't really feel much for, to her touching reunion with her dancing partner, I found myself cheering Julia on, hoping she succeeded and lived a happy life. The part of the film I most appreciated, however, was the character Susy. While this depiction of a gay drag queen was not the most perfect thing I've ever seen, it was still fantastically done. Rather than feeling like a comic relief and an accessory to Julia, Susy struck me as a three-dimensional person, full of life and complex emotion. One of the important themes which I found fascinating was the exploration of life as a woman. Oftentimes in this still mostly male-centric world movies focus on male experience and the only aspects of female experience are those which benefit and highlight male experience. In Danzón I felt like I was actually getting a glimpse into what it's like to be a woman. I saw the sexual harassment, the disregard for female feelings and experiences, the use of women for male sexual pleasure. However, none of it felt like it was a plot device meant to further Julia's quest for her love. It felt like the director and writer were actually trying to make the viewer understand intimately the female experience. Overall I give this movie ten stars. I found it just absolutely wonderful, and deserving of the highest praise I can award.
David Stambaugh
It felt as I were slogging through the first four-fifths of the movie because I couldn't dismiss a feeling of anxiousness caused by not being able to figure out what the conflict was that was being resolved. It wasn't until the very end, when Julia returned from Vera Cruz that I accepted that the slog (Julia's journey of discovery and my sitting through it) was worthwhile. Ostensibly looking for Carmelo, the dancing partner that abandoned her, Julia becomes despondent in Mexico City so she takes a leave of absence from her job as a telephone operator, finds someone to look after her teenage daughter, and goes to Vera Cruz to chase down a sketchy lead. In Vera Cruz she stays in a harbor-side flop house among prostitutes and a disinterested but doting innkeeper, is befriended by a helpful transvestite and finally succumbs to the beauty of a younger tug boat captain. She returns to Mexico City having found herself instead of Carmelo.
nancykf
Maria Novaro has made a mini-specialty of what might be called the "women's road movie." (She has described her later "Without a Trace" as "Thelma and Louise" with a happy ending.) Danzon gives us Julia, a 40-ish telephone operator and single mother of a sulky teenager, who leaves her Mexico City routine when her dance partner--about whom she knows little more than his name--seems to disappear. The movie opens up into lush panoramas when Julia reaches Veracruz, a metaphor for her own blossoming self-discovery. The soundtrack alone--old-fashioned "danzons" (Mexican dance music imported from Cuba)--is worth the rental price.
Irving Warner
"Danzon" is a "chick flick", no doubt. Directed by a woman, its main star is a woman--and it is concerned mainly with woman's issues. The setting is contemporary Mexico City. The danzon--a slow, graceful dance of l9th century Cuban origin--is the force that brings the heroine Julia together and her long time competition dance partner Carmen. When Carmen vaporizes, Julia heads for the coast--Veracruz--to search for him. Once there, she meets a series of unique characters, which add up to a wonderful viewing experience. I feel that Julia also meets herself there--discovering her real value as a woman and human being. When she returns to her job in Mexico City, she's a changed woman for numerous reasons--all good. A strong subtle movie.