Musical Chairs (film)

Last updated

Musical Chairs
Directed by Susan Seidelman
Written byMarty Madden
Produced byJanet Carrus
Joey Dedio
Brian Herskovitz
Marty Madden
Starring Leah Pipes
E. J. Bonilla
Priscilla Lopez
Laverne Cox
Auti Angel
Distributed byPaladin Films
Release dates
  • September 24, 2011 (2011-09-24)(Woodstock)
  • March 23, 2012 (2012-03-23)(United States)
Running time
102 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$31,478

Musical Chairs is a 2011 American dance film directed by Susan Seidelman and starring Leah Pipes, E. J. Bonilla, Auti Angel, Laverne Cox, and Priscilla Lopez. It is a romance involving a couple who participates in wheelchair ballroom dancing. The film had been in development for eight years. Musical Chairs premiered at the Woodstock Film Festival on September 24, 2011. It was given a limited theatrical release on March 23, 2012. It later aired on HBO in November 2013.

Contents

Plot

In New York City, Armando works part-time at his parents' Puerto Rican restaurant and is also a custodian at a dance studio, where he secretly practices dance moves. He befriends the beautiful Mia Franklin, a dancer who is in a relationship with the studio owner, Daniel. She catches Armando dancing alone, likes what she sees and gives him a few tips. They dance together briefly, but are discovered by Daniel. Trying to avoid an awkward situation, Mia leaves. When Armando realizes that Mia has left her scarf behind, he calls out to her from the studio's second floor window.

On the sidewalk below, Mia turns to cross the street, but is struck by a taxi. The accident renders her a paraplegic, paralyzed from the waist down. Upon learning of this, Daniel jilts her. Armando tries to boost Mia's confidence; he persuades her and other disabled people in the local rehabilitation center, including Nikki, a "punky" Latina, and Kenny, a wounded Iraq War veteran, to enter a wheelchair ballroom dancing competition where they are paired with able-bodied partners. Despite the opposition of his mother Isabel, Armando and Mia gradually begin a relationship and fall in love, while Armando's uncle Wilfredo falls in love with Chantelle, a disabled trans woman at the rehab center. Before the competition, Isabel, who has been maneuvering to get Armando hooked up with fellow Puerto Rican Rosa, does her best to undermine (even to the point of "casting spells") the relationship between him and Mia. Rosa, however, understands Armando's feelings for Mia and does not interfere.

On the night of the competition, Mia panics when she sees Daniel in the audience watching her, and instead of dancing, she rushes to her dressing room and begins to pack her things. Armando's mother rushes to Mia's dressing room and admits that she was wrong, telling Mia that Armando loves her and encourages her to reunite with Armando and win the competition.

Mia goes to Armando, tells him she loves him, and the two return to the competition and begin to dance. But just as the dance is at its height, Mia falls out of her wheelchair. As the stunned audience watches, Armando triumphantly picks her up and the two complete their dance with Armando holding Mia in his arms. The film ends without our knowing if they have won the competition.

Cast

Release

The cast and crew of the film at the 2012 Miami International Film Festival. Cast & Crew of Musical Chairs.jpg
The cast and crew of the film at the 2012 Miami International Film Festival.

Musical Chairs had its world premiere at the Woodstock Film Festival on September 24, 2011. [1] Thereafter, it screened as part of the Westport Cinema Initiative [2] and at Access Chicago on July 19, 2012, as well as the Miami International Film Festival. It screened at the 2012 Hamburg International Film Festival in Germany [3] and the Reel Abilities Film Festival in Fairfax, Virginia. [4]

Musical Chairs was distributed by Paladin Films, who opened the film in limited release on March 23, 2012. The film made $31,478 in its four weeks in theaters. [5]

In an interview with Deadline Hollywood , director Susan Seidelman said that she hoped the film would gain attention through word of mouth, and that the film would be shown to specific target groups, such as Latino Americans in its Florida showings. [6]

On November 15, 2013, Musical Chairs was aired on HBO Latino. [7] [8]

Critical reception

On review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, Musical Chairs has an 37% approval score, based on 19 reviews. [9] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 46 out of 100 based on 13 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [10]

Roger Ebert gave the film 2 and ½ stars out of 4, calling it a "feel-good romantic fantasy". [11] In the Chicago Tribune, Michael Phillips said, "Most of 'Musical Chairs' settles for being simple, familiar and ineffective, though I suspect it'll warm a few hearts." [12] Sara Stewart of the New York Post said, "Director Susan Seidelman ('Desperately Seeking Susan') generates plenty of good will and a few tears, as well as genuine sparks between the two talented leads. But the story never quite gets into the groove." [13]

There was some controversy over the casting of able-bodied actors in the film's lead roles. The director and producers hired disabled performers and dancers in some roles, including Auti Angel, a professional wheelchair dancer and star of reality TV show Push Girls . [14] [15]

Awards and nominations

Musical Chairs was nominated for a Fred & Adele Astaire Award for Outstanding Feature Film in 2012. [16]

On January 16, 2013, Musical Chairs was nominated for a GLAAD Award for Best Film in Limited Release. [17]

The film won several awards at the Massachusetts Independent Film Festival, including for Best Film, Best Actress (Leah Pipes), Best Supporting Actress (Laverne Cox), [18] and Best Director (Susan Seidelman).

Related Research Articles

<i>Mamma Mia!</i> (musical) 1999 musical based on the songs of ABBA

Mamma Mia! is a jukebox musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson based on songs recorded by Swedish group ABBA and composed by members Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. The title of the musical is taken from the group's 1975 chart-topper "Mamma Mia". Ulvaeus and Andersson were involved in the development of the show from the beginning, while singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad was involved financially in the production and also appeared at many of the premieres around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Courteney Cox</span> American actress and filmmaker (born 1964)

Courteney Bass Cox is an American actress and filmmaker. She gained international recognition for her starring role as Monica Geller in the NBC sitcom Friends (1994–2004). Cox received further recognition for starring as Gale Weathers in the horror film franchise Scream (1996–present).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Egan</span> American actress, singer, and dancer (born 1970)

Susan Farrell Egan is an American actress, singer and dancer, known for her work on the Broadway stage. She is best known for originating the role of Belle in the Broadway musical adaptation of Beauty and the Beast (1994), as well as for providing the voices of Megara in Hercules (1997), Madame Gina in Porco Rosso (2005), Rose Quartz in Steven Universe, and Lin in Spirited Away.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penny Marshall</span> American actress, director and producer (1943–2018)

Carole Penny Marshall was an American actress, director, and producer. She is best known for her role as Laverne DeFazio on the television sitcom Laverne & Shirley (1976–1983), receiving three nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy for her portrayal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deborah Cox</span> Canadian musician and actress (born 1974)

Deborah Cox is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Born and raised in Toronto, she began performing on television commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows in her teenage years before becoming a professional backing vocalist for Celine Dion. In 1994, Cox relocated to the United States and was signed to Arista Records by Clive Davis, releasing her self-titled debut album the following year. Her second studio album, One Wish (1998), was certified platinum in the United States. It was marked by the commercial success of the pop crossover single "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here", which would become her most successful entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number two and remaining there for eight consecutive weeks. Cox signed with J Records for her third studio album The Morning After (2002), which saw moderate commercial success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rumer Willis</span> American actress (born 1988)

Rumer Glenn Willis is an American actress. The eldest daughter of actors Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, she made her acting debut opposite her mother in the coming-of-age drama Now and Then (1995). She subsequently appeared in films such as Striptease (1996), Hostage (2005), The House Bunny (2008), Sorority Row (2009) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019). She portrayed Gia Mannetti on The CW teen drama series 90210 (2009–10) and Tory Ash on the FOX musical drama series Empire (2017–18).

<i>Desperately Seeking Susan</i> 1985 film by Susan Seidelman

Desperately Seeking Susan is a 1985 American comedy-drama film directed by Susan Seidelman and starring Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn and Madonna. Set in New York City, the plot involves the interaction between two women – a bored housewife and a bohemian drifter – linked by various messages in the personals section of a newspaper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Seidelman</span> American film director, producer and writer

Susan Seidelman is an American film director, producer, and writer. She first came to notice with Smithereens (1982), the earliest American independent feature to be screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Her next feature, Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), co-starred Madonna in her first film, and was named as one of 100 greatest films directed by women by the BBC; it resulted in a Cesar Award nomination. She-Devil (1989) starred Meryl Streep in her first starring comedic film role and Roseanne Barr in her first feature-film role. Her work on the short film The Dutch Master resulted in an Academy Award nomination. Seidelman's subsequent films mix comedy with drama, blending genres and pop-cultural references with a focus on women protagonists, particularly outsiders. She also works in television and directed the pilot episode of Sex and the City.

<i>Tango</i> (1998 film) 1998 film by Carlos Saura

Tango is a 1998 Argentine-Spanish musical drama film written and directed by Carlos Saura and starring Miguel Ángel Solá and Mía Maestro. It was photographed by cinematographer Vittorio Storaro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mia Wasikowska</span> Australian actress (born 1989)

Mia Wasikowska is an Australian actress. She made her screen debut on the Australian television drama All Saints in 2004, followed by her feature film debut in Suburban Mayhem (2006). She first became known to a wider audience following her critically acclaimed work on the HBO television series In Treatment (2008). She was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for the film That Evening Sun (2009).

Arthur Allan Seidelman is an American television, film, and theatre director and an occasional writer, producer, and actor. His works are distinguished by a humane, probing, and sympathetic depiction of characters facing ethical challenges. His approach to directing is guided by his belief that character and relationships, along with an emphasis on genuine emotion over intellectualization, are the keys to unlocking the dramatic potential of a performance, a play, or a screenplay.

<i>Smithereens</i> (film) 1982 American drama film

Smithereens is a 1982 American drama film directed by Susan Seidelman and starring Susan Berman, Brad Rijn, and Richard Hell. The film follows a narcissistic, young woman from New Jersey who comes to New York City to join the waning punk subculture, only to find that she's gravitated towards Los Angeles; in order to pay her way across country, she engages in a number of parasitic relationships, shifting her allegiances to new "friends" in an ongoing effort to ultimately endear herself to someone who will finance her desired lifestyle.

Toshi Seeger was an American filmmaker, producer and environmental activist. A filmmaker who specialized in the subject of folk music, Toshi's credits include the 1966 film Afro-American Work Songs in a Texas Prison and the Emmy Award-winning documentary Pete Seeger: The Power of Song, released through PBS in 2007. In 1966, Seeger and her husband, folk-singer Pete Seeger, co-founded the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, which seeks to protect the Hudson River and surrounding wetlands. Additionally, they co-founded the Clearwater Festival, a major music festival held annually at Croton Point Park in Westchester County, New York.

<i>Fish Tank</i> (film) 2009 British film by Andrea Arnold

Fish Tank is a 2009 British drama film written and directed by Andrea Arnold. The film is about Mia, a volatile and socially isolated 15-year-old, and her relationship with her mother's new boyfriend. Fish Tank was well-received and won the Jury Prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. It also won the 2010 BAFTA for Best British Film. It was included in the BBC's The 21st Century's 100 greatest films, ranking at no. 65 on the list.

Edward Joshua Bonilla is an American television and film actor. He is best known for his role as Rafe Rivera on Guiding Light.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artie Abrams</span> Fictional character from the Fox series Glee

Arthur "Artie" Abrams is a fictional character from the Fox musical comedy-drama series Glee the character is portrayed by actor Kevin McHale, and appeared in Glee since its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Artie was developed by Glee creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan. He is a guitarist and paraplegic manual wheelchair user who is a member of the glee club at the fictional William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, where the show is set. Artie uses a wheelchair due to a spinal cord injury he sustained in a car crash at the age of eight. His storylines have seen him accept his disability, pine for the affections of fellow New Directions members, and dabble in film directing.

Dance Moms: Miami is an American reality television series on Lifetime that aired from April 3, 2012, to May 29, 2012. It is a spin-off of Dance Moms.

Auti Angel was an American entertainer.

<i>Push Girls</i> American TV series or program

Push Girls is an American reality television series on the SundanceTV. A sneak peek episode, and original premiere date, aired on April 17, 2012, with the official debut on June 4, 2012. Push Girls chronicles the lives of four women—Angela Rockwood, Tiphany Adams, Mia Schaikewitz, and Auti Angel—who have been paralyzed by illness or accident and displays the day-to-day challenges and triumphs they encounter. The series is set in Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laverne Cox</span> American actress and LGBT advocate (born 1972)

Laverne Cox is an American actress and LGBT advocate. She rose to prominence with her role as Sophia Burset on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, becoming the first transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category, and the first to be nominated for an Emmy Award since composer Angela Morley in 1990. In 2015, she won a Daytime Emmy Award in Outstanding Special Class Special as executive producer for Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word, making her the first trans woman to win the award. In 2017, she became the first transgender person to play a transgender series regular on U.S. broadcast TV as Cameron Wirth on CBS's Doubt.

References

  1. ↑ "2011 Woodstock Film Festival Lineup Announced". Film Threat . August 31, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Musical Chairs: See the Film". Musicalchairsthefilm.com. Archived from the original on December 13, 2012. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Musical Chairs • FILMFEST HAMBURG". www.filmfesthamburg.de. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  4. ↑ "See a Film, Support Disability Awareness". Northernvirginiamag.com. February 8, 2013. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Musical Chairs". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  6. ↑ Brooks, Brian (March 23, 2012). "Specialty Box Office: 'The Deep Blue Sea,' 'Musical Chairs,' 'The Raid: Redemption,' '4:44 Last Day On Earth'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  7. ↑ O'Bryan, Will (November 14, 2013). "Laverne Cox returns to TV as HBO Latino debuts "Musical Chairs"". Metro Weekly. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Wheelchair Dance Movie Musical Chairs on HBO all April". New Mobility. April 4, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Musical Chairs". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Musical Chairs". Metacritic . Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  11. ↑ Ebert, Roger (March 28, 2012). "It's harder than it looks". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  12. ↑ Phillips, Michael (March 29, 2012). "'Musical Chairs': Predictable story falls short of New York setting". Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on March 30, 2012. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  13. ↑ Stewart, Sara (March 23, 2012). "Musical Chairs". New York Post . Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  14. ↑ Angel, Auti (March 24, 2012). "Auti Angel, Star of 'Musical Chairs,' on Being Disabled in Hollywood". The Daily Beast. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  15. ↑ Clancy, Megan (June 7, 2015). "Musical Chairs—A Film That Applauds Diversity". Artists in New York City. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  16. ↑ "2012 Nominations". www.theastaireawards.org. Archived from the original on May 12, 2012.
  17. ↑ Goldberg, Lesley (January 16, 2013). "Ryan Murphy Shows Land 3 GLAAD Award Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Actress Laverne Cox speaks at Purdue on March 26 - Purdue University". www.purdue.edu. February 25, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2024.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.