Mao's Last Dancer

REVIEWED BY: Eric Jones

(2009). Australia. 117 minutes. Director: Bruce Beresford Production Company: Celluloid Dreams Cast: Bruce Greenwood, Kyle Maclachlan, Joan Chen, and Chi Cao Rating: B

“China tells you what to do and what to say.” These are the words of Chinese born ballet dancer Li Cunxin as he confronts three life-altering options: 1) face political asylum in China for defecting to the United States 2) petition the Chinese government for an extended stay in the U.S., which will not be easy after the chaos of Mao’s Cultural Revolution and China’s suspicion of Western culture, or 3) become the spouse of a U.S. citizen. To the dismay of the Chinese government and his American dance professionals, Li chooses the third alternative.

What is the expense of Li’s enormous decision to defy a paranoid Chinese government? A lifetime ban from entering China, rendering Li unable to see his family, who he has not seen in more than 20 years after being selected to attend ballet school in Beijing. The weight of social, cultural, and political differences between Eastern and Western cultures rest on the shoulders of the talented Li as he struggles to make peace with his Chinese heritage and recent American lifestyle. This internal and external battle of cultures is a focal point reiterated throughout the course of the film, Mao’s Last Dancer, which is based on the autobiography of famous ballet star Li Cunxin, played by Chi Cao.

Mao’s Last Dancer creates a dichotomy of time in addition to the divisions made evident between Capitalist America and Communist China. The film begins in present 1981 in Houston, Texas, when Li first arrives in the United States and greets his dance instructor Ben Stevens of the Houston Dance Company. Li lives with mentor Ben during his stay in America. Then the film takes us on a journey via flashbacks to Li’s humble upbringings in a small, rural village in Shandong Province on the outskirts of China. Li Cunxin is the sixth brother of his family; a large family that barely has a shack to call their own.

After scenes detailing Li’s childhood, viewers are thrust back and forth between past and present and between the settings of China and America. This is the primary avenue by which we learn the details of Li’s complex life. In addition, the strategic alternating between cultures and time present stark symbolism. China represents the past—stymied and rooted in traditional practices and culture. The United States is contrasted by a more present, contemporary depiction—a nation adaptable to change and embracing of differences of opinion. The fear of rapid change and the loss of Chinese tradition form the basis on the government’s frustration with Li when he objects to return to China in lieu of a “better, freer” life in America.

The flashback scenes concerning Li’s early life are by far the more convincing, authentic moments of the film. The largeness of his family provides the audience a glimpse into how tough peasant life really is in China. There is one scene in which the entire family of 10 is eating at the table. Li’s father suggests that his wife and children eat the scraps before him, but his wife jokingly says that if the man of the house doesn’t eat, how in the world will he have enough strength to work in the fields to provide their next meal? The backdrop of Mao’s Cultural Revolution (which occurred during Li’s childhood) also adds to the believability of the flashback scenes; a historical event places the life of Li into context so that the audience can understand how radical the changing of his ideals are from the perspective of a traditional culture.

We soon learn that the Chinese government came to Li’s school when he was young in order to select children with the athletic potential to become prime dancers. After passing over the entire class, the teacher suggests Li, and he is sent to Beijing for what is literally the opportunity of a lifetime. While in the nation’s capital, Li struggles with the technique of ballet dancing. His teacher calls him “pig head” after he can’t perform a split that requires a lot of body strength. But Li doesn’t give up; he even ties weights to his leg so that he can split with relative ease whenever he decides to take the weights off.

World-renowned dance professional Ben Stephens travels to Beijing looking for ballet dancers to learn and perform under his wing. He admires Li’s dancing ability and decides to take Li back to the U.S. for schooling and dancing. But once Li realizes the amount of freedom granted in all areas to him, he also begins to realize how much he loves this newfound liberty to do whatever he pleases and whenever he pleases to do it. The problem with this is that Communist China does not agree with its citizens being influenced by the West. When Ben takes Li shopping for an entire new wardrobe, Li considers returning the gifts as he remembers how hard his family works for the little they receive.

Although the moments of Li’s childhood on screen are realistic, the present scenes are littered with lackluster acting and “cheesy moments.” For example, Li falls in love with an American ballet dancer after only a few dates. The juxtaposition of two opposing cultures is already given justice and his relationship with an American girl isn’t needed.

In addition, Chi Chao gives a decent performance as Li Cunxin, but the supporting cast does him no justice; Kyle Maclachlan of Sex and the City fame plays Li’s attorney, Mr. Foster, but he adds no substance to a pivotal role in the film. Mr. Foster is supposed to be the take-no-prisoners lawyer that stands up to the Chinese government and fights for Li’s stay in America. Although successful in keeping Li in the U.S., Mr. Foster comes across as a bit foolish and inept for such an important task.

The present scenes are also devoid of real emotion and sensitivity. For instance, when the Chinese government attempts to force Li to go back to China, the climax of the film turns out to be ironically anticlimactic. Chinese government officials lock up Li at the Houston Dance Company Studio and we are given no explanation as to how this is possible. The dialogue is incomplete, the action is weak, and the actual logistics of the situation are left unexplained.

The only true emotional moment of Li’s present life is when his parents surprise him at his national performance at Washington, D.C. Li’s parents are flown in from China to see their son for the first time in almost twenty years and see him dance for the first time ever. After his headline performance, Li looks into the crowd and makes eye contact with his parents. He doesn’t take his eyes off of them until they are at an arms distance. They all cry as Li’s mom and dad touch his arms, chest, and legs to make sure it is actually their son after all these years.

I would recommend Mao’s Last Dancer as a family film worth watching as its strengths (plot, flashbacks, theme) outweigh its weaknesses (present scene acting, simplification of events). This story of redemption gives hope to anyone that he or she can seize his or her own destiny by charting a path and pursuing it. After seeing Mao’s Last Dancer, you will dare to dream…or rather, dare to dance!