I think this movie needs to be more of an examination than a summary.
“Dance first, think later” is Irish novelist Samuel Beckett’s motto, which represents the movie “Dance First,” as we see him reflecting on his life in golden years, which aren’t all that golden. And neither is the movie, which feels like a summary of his life with very few insights as to who this author was and how he functioned.
Gabriel Byrne plays Beckett, and as the movie begins, we see him climbing up some bars during an award ceremony, and meeting himself in what appears to be in another environment, as he reflects on his life and what decisions he has made.
In the early days, we see young Beckett (Fionn O’Shea) dealing with the mistreatment and disciplines of his mother (Lisa Dwyer Hogg). We also see him meeting the literary critic James Joyce (Aidan Gillen), who tries to warn him about the depression and cynicism of writing in his future, but the young man says: “I’d rather watch you fail than anyone else succeed.”
And then there’s James’ mentally ill daughter Lucia (Grainne Good). While she’s dancing with many other people, Beckett just stands there like he’s never seen or heard of dancing before. She thinks they’re now engaged, but now, the young man wants nothing more to do with James’ family.
Years later, during his time as a fighter for the French Resistance in WWII, he meets a Frenchwoman named Suzanne (Léonie Lojkine), who suggests he writes about his experience of surviving a stab wound. In fact, she’s the one who inspires him to keep writing, and she becomes his lover and future wife.
His friend Alfie (Robert Aramayo) gets taken by the Gestapo, and Beckett blames himself for inspiring him to join the resistance. During his interior monologue with himself, he tells himself to let it go and move on with his life.
In 1969 (when O’Shea changes into Byrne), his wife (when Lokkine changes into Sandrine Bonnaire) suggests he writes his work in French, and therefore, he requires Barbara Bray (Maxine Peake), a translator from the BBC. He has an affair with her, while his wife doesn’t want his newfound fame to consume him.
It’s filmed in black and white, while the last 20 minutes or so are in color. Most of “Dance First” is gorgeously photographed by director James Marsh and cinematographer Antonio Paladino, and the black and white format matches the mood and tone of the film, especially when Beckett had a number of pathos in his life. But the overall movie doesn’t reflect on the look and feel of it. In fact, I felt that the closing color scenes were inferior to the black and white format.
There’s also fine work in Byrne as the older Beckett, and his elderly years allow his emotions to keep in balance. And I liked Gillen’s monologue when he meets the young Beckett. But there’s not much analysis in the other supporting actors, and they often become meandering and repetitive. I didn’t care for the scenes regarding James’ crazy daughter nor the later years in Beckett’s marriage.
“Dance First” should be an examination on the author’s life, but it doesn’t delve deep inside nor does it draw us to the other supporting characters in his life. He’s the star of the story, and yet, the screenplay seems to be going through the motions. And I didn’t want to write his timeline summary as if I was writing a report on him. I wanted to write a review on this movie to see how it studies the author. Let’s read another book.
In Select Theaters This Friday
