Plot in a nutshell
Ha-chan (Rinko Kikuchi) takes her dancing very seriously but when tragedy strikes the grief is too heavy and she spirals into depression. She will need the help of her two sisters, a new dancing instructor and her own wild imagination to rediscover how to enjoy life again.
Quirky and tender, the two most prominent tones that color Josef Kubota Wladyka’s Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! don’t always play well together in this odd duck of a film, but they ultimately mesh well enough for you to watch the final credits roll with the biggest grin on your face. The main source of joy is Kikuchi’s committed performance as the titular booty shaker, a woman that’s very easy to love because of her infectious love of dancing and gentle nature that just radiates kindness.
Apart from Kikuchi’s endearing and magnetic performance, Wladyka explores a lot of interesting avenues here, most poignantly the steady, difficult but inevitable act of moving on after a loved ones dies. Ha-Chan’s entire world falls apart and while it does take one too many bizarre turns I wasn’t always on board with, the script ultimately does an impressive job of balancing the tragicomic journey of self re-discovery she embarks on.
Something else I found particularly strong in Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! (apart from its glorious title) is the organic way the film represents different cultures, and cultural clashes. Japanese tradition, reverence and offbeat sense of humor meets Latin passion, unpredictability and exuberance and they make for strange, combustable bedfellows. Not only is it very entertaining to watch but there’s something beautifully universal about the message underneath. Life is messy, and we’re all in it together. The challenge is to find the joy in the mess.
It’s refreshing to watch a film in 2026 that actually celebrates life. This one also gets bonus points for reminding anyone not paying attention that the Cranberries are one of the best bands in history.
Oh, my life is changing everyday
In every possible way…