The Bottom Line
The world of ballet is intoxicating, especially when it's as gritty and real as the one Altman creates.
Pros
- Trademark Robert Altman ensemble style
- Neve Campbell's winning performance
- Intimate look behind the scenes of a professional ballet corps
Cons
- Cinema Verite style sometimes detracts from story
Description
- Directed by Robert Altman.
- Starring Neve Campbell, Malcolm MacDowell, James Franco, and the Joffrey Ballet.
- USA, 2003, 112 minues, Rated PG-13, Sony Picture Classics.
- Commentary by director Robert Altman and actress Neve Campbell.
- "The Making of The Company" featurette.
- Isolated dance sequences from the film.
Guide Review - The Company DVD
Robert Altman's first foray into the world of dance follows the Chicago Joffrey Ballet for a season, focusing on the life of Ry, a young woman who is on the verge of becoming a principal dancer. Neve Campbell (who originally trained as a dancer with the National Canada Ballet) developed the project for herself, co-writing the script. "The Company," however, is no vanity project. Campbell is a winning performer, and the film's highlight is her moving performance in Lar Lubovitch's pas de deux "My Funny Valentine" during a thunderstorm.
