One lesson that we all come to learn at some point in our lives is that it is never too late to start afresh. For some, this means reinventing yourself and uprooting your life, while for others it is simply making a small but substantial change, rather than taking a tabula rasa approach to reconfiguring your existence. In the case of the protagonists in Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, the decision comes down to something as simple as dance lessons, which prove to be far more insightful than either of them could have imagined. Directed by journeyman filmmaker Arthur Allan Seidelman (in what is his final directorial effort to date)), the film is based on the play of the same title by Richard Alfieri, which explores the tense but hilarious relationship between a crotchety old widow and the young dance instructor she hires to help sharpen her skills, following their experiences over six weeks as they become good friends and come to find common ground that they would not have discovered had they not taken a chance instead of surrendering to the initial hostilities that emerged between them, which only opens them up to more experiences. A peculiar film that seems to be built from a series of disparate ideas that exist together in conjunction, this is a story that has its flaws vastly outweighed by the many merits that keep the story afloat, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks is a true delight, a hilarious and heartwarming comedy that understands the importance of finding the small details in between the broad strokes, which sets the foundation for a charming and earnest exploration of many different themes, combined beautifully into this upbeat and deeply moving ode to companionship and the value of finding beauty in the most unexpected of places, and how we can challenge ourselves to see much more when we open up to the new experiences that stand ahead of us, even if they may first appear as insurmountable obstacles.

There are few qualities in a film that are more frustrating than one that spends too much time convincing us that it is a particular kind of project, only for it to be revealed midway through that it was going an entirely different direction – this is understandable when it is intentionally subversive, but most films use this as an opportunity to mislead the viewer, which is not nearly as admirable. Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks doesn’t need to waste its time with exposition or establishing the story in the opening scenes – it leaps right into the story and makes it clear that we will learn about these characters and what they represent along the way, which is the ideal manner of telling such a story, since it is already very simple to begin with, and doesn’t need too much work to introduce most of its ideas. This allows the film to focus on its major themes, which are primarily rooted in the subject of friendship, particularly the concept of an unlikely companionship that originates from necessity but is maintained by a growing level of respect. Unfortunately, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks doesn’t offer much that can be considered original, and its very premise is the definition of cliched, with the film essentially being 100 minutes of two people alternating between bickering and dancing, in the process developing a friendship that will surely stand the test of time as a result of their willingness to expose their inner vulnerabilities. The odd couple premise is so common in cinema, that it has begun to lose all meaning – but it doesn’t mean that it is any less impactful when done right, which is exactly the case with Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, a film in which two individuals from entirely different backgrounds find themselves growing close and realizing that despite their difference in lifestyle, demographic and opinion, they have much more in common than they initially thought. It makes for predictable but engaging viewing, and amounts to a terrific, compelling film with a lot of heart and soul, much more than we’d expect at first.

While it may be presumptuous to assert there was a specific reason to make a film, when it comes to Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, the main attraction has to be the presence of Gena Rowlands, who turns in her final performance before her retirement. It would be foolish to claim that this is anywhere close to her best work, but that is neither an insult to her performance nor the film as a whole. Instead, when discussing arguably the finest actor of her generation, anything even slightly below magnificent is going to pale in comparison to her more famous work. However, even with the legacy she had going into this film, Rowlands is not interested in resting on her laurels – her tendency to approach every performance with the same intensity and complexity as when she was starting in the industry is precisely why she has remained so celebrated for over half a century, and this film reminds of us her incredible ability to command the screen. Despite being much older than she was at her peak, Rowlands is as resplendent as ever, bringing the same undeniable grace and elegance to a film that was primarily built from her presence, and the entire trajectory of the story may have been different with someone else in the role. It’s not her most towering work, but it shows that he was still delivering standout performances late in her career. Joining this legendary actor is the always reliable but sadly under-used Cheyenne Jackson, a gifted actor who has rarely been afforded the chance to play leading roles, and who manages to hold his own across from someone with the stature of Rowlands, a very likely intimidating task, but one that Jackson approaches with nothing but the most ferocious dedication. The two performances work well together and bring about so much complexity, their various interactions being intriguing and captivating, and proving the virtue of finding the most simple approach to creating characters, which are here shown to be deeply original and profoundly captivating in several ways.

However, as terrific as Rowlands and Jackson may be, their performances also represent deeper themes that the film may not be able to explore in detail but still evoke in the hopes that curious viewers will pick up on these notes and form their own opinions. This is certainly not the most inventive or challenging film, but this doesn’t preclude it from at least trying to infuse the story with some depth, which does pay off substantially. It makes up for the fact that it explores very common subjects by making sure that it is all done with elegance, wit and heartfulness, never aiming for the low-hanging fruit and instead focusing on the smaller details that give the film immense depth. Throughout Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, we see conversations about ageing and the fact that most people have to face their mortality or that of a loved one in some way or another, and whether or not this is a harrowing or comforting experience, is essential. This is sharply contrasted with discussions on sexual identity and equality, not in the sense that it holds too much political sway, but rather that it showcases the social aspect, and what it is like to be queer in a community that is not bigoted or unaccepting, but rather looks at this theme with a sense of confusion. Perhaps this isn’t the most appropriate film to be having these discussions, but you could argue tolerance and acceptance are never ill-advised themes, and that it only opens the door to more challenging ideas. The film doesn’t become too deeply enamoured with the more serious and sobering themes but rather carefully curates them to add nuance to an otherwise very broad comedic film, and we have to appreciate the director’s efforts to explore these subjects since Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks has an unexpected amount of heart and soul, enough to maintain our unbroken attention.

On the surface, it seems easy to underestimate Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks – this is not a film that immediately announces itself as being anything more than a quaint comedy, and the fact that it is an adaptation of a play where its origins on stage are very clear doesn’t help with any argument that this is some secretly subversive or ingenious work, which it never claimed to be in any way. Instead, what this film manages to do is offer us something we had not quite seen before, albeit not in the way we’d expect – it touches on very common themes, and is in perpetual search of something more complex and cohesive, and whether or not it finds them is entirely incidental. What we find throughout this film is a genuine sense of heartfulness and adoration for every small detail – anchored by an incredible performance by the terrific Rowlands, who elevates her co-stars (which include scene-stealing work from Jacki Weaver and Rita Moreno in addition to the already compelling Jackson) and brings her distinctive wit and sophistication to this production. Heartfelt and meaningful, but also never a work that aims to take itself too seriously, Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks is a tremendously charming film that implicitly understands the importance of a story well-told, and the importance of every small detail that goes into the construction of these narratives, which are often far more nuanced than we initially imagined, which gives this film so much heart and honesty, much more than we may have expected based on our initial expectations, which may not be shattered or challenged by this film, but at the very least offer us something valuable in how it examines friendships against the odds, as well as the process of self-realization in our continued journey towards internal peace and camaraderie.