Fakes on the floor

After the genuine emotions of Mad Hot Ballroom, the splendid documentary about New York kids encouraged to express themselves through ballroom dancing, comes this shamelessly clichéd, fictional account of their dance teacher.

Antonio Banderas plays Pierre Dulaine in Liz Friedlander's debut feature; he can't shimmy any better than Fred Astaire's grandmother, though he does his handsome best.

The kids are good, too. But the movie doesn't miss an opportunity to press us to shed a tear. Even the final competition, during which they trump the aces of the snooty middle-class kids, isn't handled very well.

This is Hollywood film-making with no real ambition, and as fake as hell.

Take The Lead
Cert: 12A