Written and directed by Anselm Chan, a debt-ridden wedding planner inadvertently becomes a successful funeral planner. However, he must convince a traditional Taoist priest of his legitimacy to continue operating in the field. Starring: Dayo Wong, Michael Hui, Michelle Wai, Catherine Chau, Tommy Chu, Paul Chun Pui and Elaine Jin.
The easiest way to describe The Last Dance is that it’s one of those films which comes in with a very humble, earnest style and slowly works its way into your heart. It takes things slowly while also peppering scenes with a dark sense of humour, which is absolutely excellent. There’s a strong but understated charm to Anselm Chan’s direction. Employing a minimal use of the score is really effective and helps to keep the film exceptionally grounded.
It takes you slightly by surprise how much genuine emotion there is to be found in The Last Dance. This story features a lot of personal growth which is very satisfying and touching to watch. The relationships are nicely rocky, nothing is easy, there’s plenty of hurdles to jump and mistakes to be made, so everything feels real and honest.
Especially in that Chan does a great job of handling the topics of religion, tradition, superstition, death and family. They’re blended together in a natural manner, one that feels highly relatable and manages not to be weighed down or become sombre, considering they’re all heavy topics.
A part of that is undoubtedly the performances, this is an incredible ensemble who effortlessly draw you in to become so invested in their stories. Dayo Wong’s Dominic in particular is terrific, both the writing of the character and Wong’s portrayal are exceptional. He’s such a wonderful connecting piece for The Last Dance, joining all of these characters together with warmth and empathy. The moving development of his character alone is well worth watching.
So, when you’re also adding in another three great performances from Michael Hui, Michelle Wai and Tommy Chu, there’s lots to enjoy. Hui gives us the perspective of tradition, concretely committed to the old ways and stubborn as a mule, the classic curmudgeon, slowly being brought out of his shell.
Michelle Wai gives us the modern perspective, wanting her father to accept the new ways and equality. Wai does a superb job portraying the conflict of her character, loving her family but often feeling rejected or unworthy by their strictness. While Chu gives us Ben, who is entirely stuck in the middle, there’s a simple nature to him that’s charming, forever trying to do the right thing but never coming up a winner.
The Last Dance is endearing, moving and surprisingly funny. Anselm Chan creates a charmingly humble style with a slightly dark sense of humour and a lot of enthralling characters. There’s an excellent quartet of actors at the heart of the film, who bring a lot of emotion to the table, and they’re supported by a strong ensemble. There’s something to it that’s reminiscent of Perfect Days or the underappreciated A Wild Roomer, it’s earnest and has a disarming simplicity while expertly handling complex emotions.
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