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Comedy drama

Shall We Dance? (1997): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Shall We Dance? (1997) movie poster

Shall We Dance? is a 1997 comedy drama directed by Masayuki Suo, starring Naoto Takenaka, Kôji Yakusho and Tamiyo Kusakari. It runs 2 hours 16 minutes and earned $9.5 million worldwide. Critics gave it 66 on Metacritic.

worldwide gross
$9.5M
Metascore
66
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Watch the trailer Read the plot summary
Shall We Dance? (1997) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 16m (136 min)
Director
Masayuki Suo
Genres
Drama , Comedy , Romance , Music
Original language
English
Studio
Miramax Films
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Shall We Dance? About?

The premise of Shall We Dance? without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A meticulous executive's predictable life takes an unexpected turn when he signs up for ballroom dance classes hoping to find romance. As he learns the steps, he becomes immersed in a vibrant community of dancers and forms surprising friendships. He struggles to keep his newfound hobby a secret from his colleagues and family, leading to humorous situations and personal growth.

Shall We Dance? Themes & Keywords

· 25 tags
  • self discovery
  • husband wife relationship
  • tokyo japan
  • japan
  • 1990s
  • dance
  • ballroom dancing
  • dance contest
  • wig
  • man wears eyeglasses
  • accountant
  • office
+13 more
  • title is partly in english
  • katakana in title
  • question mark in title
  • punctuation in title
  • three word title
  • dance music
  • romantic comedy
  • train
  • private detective
  • dance teacher
  • dance hall
  • computer
  • bicycle
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Cast & crew

Shall We Dance? Cast

Naoto Takenaka leads the cast, with Kôji Yakusho and Tamiyo Kusakari. Directed by Masayuki Suo.

Ratings

Shall We Dance? Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Shall We Dance? 66 on Metacritic.

Plot

Shall We Dance? Plot Summary

What happens in Shall We Dance? from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The film opens with a close-up of the inscription above the ballroom stage at the Blackpool Tower: “Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear,” taken from Shakespeare’s Venus and Adonis. A narrator explains that in Japan, ballroom dancing is viewed with suspicion, a cultural spark that clashes with rigid social expectations. Against this backdrop, we meet Shohei Sugiyama, a successful salaryman who seems to have it all—a suburban home, a loving wife, Masako, and a teenage daughter, Chikage, while he works as an accountant in Tokyo. Yet beneath the surface he is rattled by a sense of directionless drift, and a creeping depression begins to shape his days.

Full summary

The whole story of Shall We Dance?, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

Shall We Dance? Box Office

Shall We Dance? grossed $9.5 million worldwide.

1997 box office

Worldwide gross

$9.5M

US & Canada
$9.5M
Videos

Shall We Dance? Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Shall We Dance?.

Shall We Dance? (1996) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Shall We Dance??

9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 9

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered

What is the occupation of the film's protagonist, Shohei Sugiyama?
Cars

Cars in Shall We Dance?

10 cars on screen, including the 1994 Daihatsu Opti and the 1974 Austin FX4.

All 10 cars
  • 1994 Daihatsu Opti in Shall We Dance? 1994 Daihatsu Opti Important role
  • 1974 Austin FX4 in Shall We Dance? 1974 Austin FX4 Background role
  • 1994 Mitsubishi Minicab in Shall We Dance? 1994 Mitsubishi Minicab Background role
  • 1983 Nissan Cedric in Shall We Dance? 1983 Nissan Cedric Background role
Details

Shall We Dance? Also Known As

12 alternative titles, including “Shall we dansu?” and “쉘 위 댄스”.

Also known as
  • Shall we dansu?
  • 쉘 위 댄스
  • Dança Comigo?
  • ¿Bailamos?
  • Vuoi ballare? - Shall We Dance?
  • Shall we ダンス?
  • 谈谈情跳跳舞
  • Давайте потанцуем?
  • 談談情跳跳舞
  • Får jag lov?
  • Smím prosit?
  • Aşka Davet

Seen Shall We Dance??
More like this

Movies Like Shall We Dance?

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Shall We Dance, Strictly Ballroom and Dancers.

FAQ

Shall We Dance? FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Shall We Dance?, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Shall We Dance??

Shall We Dance? runs 2 hours 16 minutes (136 minutes).

When was Shall We Dance? released?

Shall We Dance? was released on April 11, 1997.

Who directed Shall We Dance??

Shall We Dance? was directed by Masayuki Suo.

Who is in the cast of Shall We Dance??

Shall We Dance? stars Naoto Takenaka, Kôji Yakusho and Tamiyo Kusakari.

How much did Shall We Dance? make at the box office?

Shall We Dance? grossed $9.5 million worldwide.

How is Shall We Dance? rated?

Shall We Dance? has 66 on Metacritic and 73% on TMDB.

Does Shall We Dance? have a post-credit scene?

No. Shall We Dance? has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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