Critic Reviews
Mad Hot Ballroom (2005) Rank 3 Reviews
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based on (171) reviews
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Portland Oregonian (Shawn Levy)
You nevertheless can't help but be swept up in the kids' enthusiasms and aspirations and gobs of energy. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Portland Oregonian (Shawn Levy)
San Francisco Chronicle (Walter Addiego)
Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
Mostly growing up in the vastly intolerant and uncultured land of Florida, I am always so jealous when I am exposed to other school systems in other states that have programs for kids that are dedicated to the arts. The only thing remotely close to that ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Film Threat, Hollywood's Indie Voice
NYC Film Critic (Ethan Alter)
Personally, I'm not bothered by the film's relative flimsiness. For one thing, Agrelo does manage to slip a few insights in there, simply by letting some of the kids talk about their lives in more detail. One girl at the Washington Heights school, for ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at NYC Film Critic (Ethan Alter)
Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Some documentaries try to educate, while others try to just charm.Mad Hot Ballroom, while educational because it exposes the world to a program not many know about, is one of the more charming of docs you're ever likely to see. As such, it will entertain ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)
[It] may not be a masterpiece... but it is a heartfelt and very entertaining tribute to a group of teachers and students who want to succeed, if given half the chance. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Worcester Telegram & Gazette (Daniel M. Kimmel)
Empire Magazine (--)
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
This is not a great film, but it's consistently likable, entertaining and real. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) (Ken Hanke)
efilmcritic.com (Uri Lessing)
Hopefully Mad Hot Ballroom will inspire more people with passionate hearts to enter the teaching profession. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at efilmcritic.com (Uri Lessing)
Hartford Courant (--)
Washington Post (Michael O'Sullivan)
Sweet and wise little film. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Washington Post (Michael O'Sullivan)
The Hollywood Reporter (Michael Rechtshaffen)
Resistance is futile. It's impossible not to be swept up into the uplifting world of Mad Hot Ballroom, a documentary that can be neatly summed up as the "Spellbound" of competitive ballroom dancing. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at The Hollywood Reporter (Michael Rechtshaffen)
Orlando Sentinel (Roger Moore)
The kids are adorable, and so is the movie. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Orlando Sentinel (Roger Moore)
The Boston Phoenix
A Guide to Current DVD (Aaron Beierle)
Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
A crowd-pleaser of immense proportions. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer (Steven Rea)
St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))
A moving and inspiring film, but it's also hilarious and, as the finals draw near, quite exciting. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at St. Paul Pioneer Press (Chris Hewitt (St. Paul))
USA Today (Claudia Puig)
Charming and inspiring. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at USA Today (Claudia Puig)
Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
Watching these pint-size Astaires and Rogerses practice the fox trot, tango, rumba, and swing is the immediate hook to Mad Hot Ballroom. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Boston Globe (Ty Burr)
San Francisco Chronicle (Walter Addiego)
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Ed Blank)
Anyone who had the good fortune to see "Spellbound," the recent documentary about a spelling bee competition, will be that much more eager to see "Mad Hot Ballroom," which has similar aspirations if less success.
Marilyn Agrelo's film taps ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Ed Blank)
Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
The documentary Mad Hot Ballroom is packed from start to finish with adorable kids doing cute things: Rarely has a movie, fictional or not, had this much awwwww factor. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Miami Herald (Rene Rodriguez)
Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
Listening to the kids talk is a treat in itself, but watching them strut their stuff in the final competition is enough to make you stand up and cheer. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Rick Groen)
The considerable charm of Mad Hot Ballroom can be traced directly to its choice of subjects. They happen to be 11-year old kids, and the lens loves every precious one of them. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at The Globe and Mail (Toronto) (Rick Groen)
UpcomingDiscs.com (Aric Mitchell)
Mad Hot Ballroom is the sort of live action family entertainment with which I can get on board. Too often, the desire for a good family film is quickly hampered by third-rate idiocy that only appeals to the youngest in the family. We the adults plod ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at UpcomingDiscs.com (Aric Mitchell)
Detroit Free Press (Terry Lawson)
Mad Hot Ballroom had me at '... and go!' ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Detroit Free Press (Terry Lawson)
San Francisco Chronicle (Walter V. Addiego)
Watching the kids dance is irresistible, but director Marilyn Agrelo is sensitive to the full complex of emotions invoked by the competition. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at San Francisco Chronicle (Walter V. Addiego)
Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means)
The repetition of [the dance] scenes is mollified by moments of the kids off the dance floor, just talking and hanging out. In those moments, the 11-year-olds really shine. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means)
Toronto Star (Susan Walker)
Offers a rare glimpse of what's on the minds of pre-adolescent kids. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Toronto Star (Susan Walker)
Newsday (Gene Seymour)
Watching these lively people, young and old, express their wishes, confess their fears and kick uptheir heels is enough to make you proud to be a New Yorker. Heck, proud to be human. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Newsday (Gene Seymour)
Minneapolis Star Tribune (Jeff Strickler)
The dedication the youngsters bring to their dancing is infectious, and that gives this documentary a leg up. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Minneapolis Star Tribune (Jeff Strickler)
Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
These kids may be too small for sports and may not be headed to college on academic scholarships. But for once, they've proven to the world and to themselves that they matter. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Charlotte Observer (Lawrence Toppman)
Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
Listening to the kids talk is a treat in itself, but watching them strut their stuff in the final competition is enough to make you stand up and cheer. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
Los Angeles Daily News (Glenn Whipp)
Mad Hot Ballroom gets a passing grade based on the precocious charms of its pint-size subjects and filmmakers' palpable enthusiasm for their subjects. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Los Angeles Daily News (Glenn Whipp)
Newark Star-Ledger (Stephen Whitty)
A lovely movie, full of real-life drama (you can almost see it being turned into an off-Broadway musical). ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Newark Star-Ledger (Stephen Whitty)
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Philip Martin)
Overpopulated and untidy but driven by a relentlessly sunny spirit... ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (Philip Martin)
Denver Post (Lisa Kennedy)
Wins you over with kid after kid after kid saying the darndest things about boys and girls, winning and losing, and a host of other issues. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Denver Post (Lisa Kennedy)
Christianity Today (Carolyn Arends)
In all its unscripted glory, it shows us pre-adolescence with an astonishing authenticity that should be the envy of a hundred coming-of-age movies. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Christianity Today (Carolyn Arends)
Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
A precocious documentary that speaks the universal language of rhythm and soul. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Palo Alto Weekly (Jeanne Aufmuth)
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)
At its least inspired, it's like a dramatized newspaper feature story; at its best, it offers an unscripted slice of inner-city life... ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) (John Beifuss)
Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)
It's a pleasure spending down-time with these lovely boys and girls. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Creative Loafing (Matt Brunson)
Groucho Reviews (Peter Canavese)
Though Agrelo blunts the competitive drama by visually excluding the opposition, the kids talent and infectious spirit carries the day for Mad Hot Ballroom . ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Groucho Reviews (Peter Canavese)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
The most heartbreaking, life-affirming, joyous and real film experience of the summer. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Duane Dudek)
Globe and Mail (Rick Groen)
The film grows in rhythm and grace as the competition approaches. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Globe and Mail (Rick Groen)
Seattle Times (John Hartl)
The kids are remarkably open -- and tentative -- about their feelings. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Seattle Times (John Hartl)
Tail Slate (Leitha Matz)
New York Post (Lou Lumenick)
A crowd-pleaser of the first order. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at New York Post (Lou Lumenick)
Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents
Tail Slate (Leitha Matz)
ViewLondon (Matthew Turner)
Enjoyable documentary with some lovely moments, but it lacks the focus of something like Spellbound.The BackgroundIf youre the sort of film fan that likes to keep their finger on the cinematic pulse, then you might already have heard Mad Hot Ballroom ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at ViewLondon (Matthew Turner)
The Movie Chicks
Each year 5th-grade students in New York City elementary schools give up their after-school activities, get out their dancing shoes, and begin an intensive crash course in ballroom dancing. They have just ten short weeks until a citywide ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at The Movie Chicks
Reel.com
If there's one frustration to be had in Mad Hot Ballroom, it's that there's no way to find out what happens next with these kids. Does this class make any difference at all to any of them, or is it just a time out on their way to an uncertain future? ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Reel.com
filmcritic.com (David Thomas)
The children-in-competition documentary is beginning to have enough examples to deserve its own genre. From Hoop Dreams to Spellbound, documentary filmmakers seem obsessed with the drive, determination, and borderline abuse that surrounds these kids and ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at filmcritic.com (David Thomas)
Philadelphia Inquirer
The sight of a group of grade-school boys and girls, paired off on the gym floor, shimmying to the rumba and merengue, their eyes locked and their grins as wide as a New York avenue, is the sort of thing that audiences - even the most ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Philadelphia Inquirer
Boston Herald (James Verniere)
FilmFocus.Co.UK (Joe Utichi)
While the backdrop to this particular documentary happens to be ballroom dancing, it's essentially a story about maturation; a wide-ranging group of eleven year-olds learning the ins-and-outs of ballroom dancing at an age where their greatest worries ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at FilmFocus.Co.UK (Joe Utichi)
Boston Globe
Can there be anything easier than to make a documentary about school kids facing off in some sort of eccentric competition? Establish the ground rules, turn the camera on, let the children be themselves: Presto, instant insight into embattled innocence ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Boston Globe
Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
Dance is everywhere. Summer TV has spun reality programming such as Dancing With the Stars into a ratings grabber. But the real deal is Marilyn Agrelo's tremendously entertaining documentary on fifth-graders from New York public schools (representing a ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Rolling Stone (Peter Travers)
DVD Talk (Geoffrey Kleinman)
I did really enjoy Mad Hot Ballroom, maybe not as much as I expected, but still enough to give it a solid recommendation. One of the great aspects of the film is that it can be enjoyed both by adults and kids. I saw Mad Hot Ballroom with both of my ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at DVD Talk (Geoffrey Kleinman)
The Sydney Morning Herald
Moviehole
Iâve never seen âStrictly Ballroomâ, watched âDancing With The Starsâ or hit the dance floor with a purpose like Travolta at any point in my life. Sure, I can do a mean version of âThe Monkeyâ, and upon request, I could probably bust out a ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Moviehole
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Some documentaries try to educate, while others try to just charm.Mad Hot Ballroom, while educational because it exposes the world to a program not many know about, is one of the more charming of docs you're ever likely to see. As such, it will entertain ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)
Bina007 Movie Reviews
Reel.com (Pam Grady)
Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)
"I just wish the filmmaker did a better job putting it all together so it had more meaning as to the big "educational" picture." ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Ozus' World Movie Reviews (Dennis Schwartz)
Planet Sick-Boy (Jon Popick)
Film 247.net
TriBeCaâs P.S. 150 (Public School 150) children are confident and streetwise. Their teacher, Allison Sheniak, gets emotional on-camera because she is witnessing her children developing into âladies and gentlemenâ.
Bensonhurst, Brooklynâs P.S. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Film 247.net
MovieFreak.com (Sara M. Fetters)
Mediasearch, Australia
Exclaim!
Mad Hot Ballroom is an extremely likeable documentary about a successful ballroom dancing program in New York Cityâs public schools. The film follows the grade four classes of three different schools around the city as they prepare for the city-wide ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Exclaim!
moviereview (Colin Fraser)
PopMatters (Cynthia Fuchs)
digitallyOBSESSED.com (Nate Meyers)
A Nutshell Review
New York Daily News (Jami Bernard)
The New York Times (A.O. Scott)
Ms. Agrelo and Ms. Sewell deserve praise for discovering and illuminating this delightful corner of an educational system that is often portrayed in the grimmest terms, but their execution falls a bit short. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at The New York Times (A.O. Scott)
Film Threat (Michael Ferraro)
An uplifting and inspiring tale. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Film Threat (Michael Ferraro)
Village Voice (Laura Sinagra)
Like "Spellbound's" glimpse of the darker side of childhood competition, Mad Hot Ballroom--a look at New York City schools' fifth-grade ballroom dance program--is best when exploring issues of class and gender and definitions of success. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Village Voice (Laura Sinagra)
LA Weekly (Ella Taylor)
The worthy text of Mad Hot Ballroom is undercut by the real source of its energy, the heat of competition and the pure joy of winning. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at LA Weekly (Ella Taylor)
Reeling Reviews (Robin and Laura Clifford)
The Onion (A.V. Club) (Scott Tobias)
Some of the strongest scenes are candid front-stoop sessions in which the kids swap gossip and float some hilariously pre-sexual theories on romance. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at The Onion (A.V. Club) (Scott Tobias)
Washington Post (Sarah Kaufman)
Insightful and endearing documentary. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Washington Post (Sarah Kaufman)
Variety (Robert Koehler)
Perky and effortlessly smooth. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Variety (Robert Koehler)
Deseret News, Salt Lake City
eFilmCritic Reviews
hybridmagazine.com
Martin Tsai's Blog
Video Reviews with Joan Ellis
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Lee's Movie Info (Lee Tistaert)
One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
Mad Hot Ballroom is certainly a nice picture, a cannily-designed crowd-pleaser that mixes cute kids and uplifting dedication. But by now the territory it covers has become pretty familiar, and a movie like this needs greater flair and ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at One Guy's Opinion (Frank Swietek)
CineScene.com (Chris Dashiell)
DVD Verdict (Bill Gibron)
Weekly Reviews (Nathan Weinbender) - Capsule
OC Metro Magazine (R.G. Strait)
Palm Springs Entertainer (Norman Mark)
The Aisle Seat (Andy Dursin)
Reel Movie Critic
Slant Magazine - DVD Review
The Stranger (Andrew Wright)
Entertainment Insiders (Warren Curry)
"Mad Hot Ballroom" is exactly the kind of film critics have in mind when they break out clichéd advertising pull-quotes like, "A Crowd Pleasing Winner!" or "Fun for the Whole Family!" Well, "Mad Hot Ballroom" is certainly a charmer -- and maybe above ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Entertainment Insiders (Warren Curry)
Spirituality & Health (Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat)
The Trades (Beth Gottfried)
The Onion A.V. Club
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
The Nick Schager Film Project
Film Freak Central Review (Alex Jackson)
Movies into Film.com (N.P. Thompson)
Bright Lights Film Journal
Movie-Vault.com (Avril Carruthers)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Combustible Celluloid (Jeffrey M. Anderson)
Reel Talk (Betty Jo Tucker)
Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow)
No great shakes as a documentary, but there are great shakes in the sight of 10- and 11-year-olds learning ballroom dancing in the New York City public school system. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Baltimore Sun (Michael Sragow)
eye WEEKLY (Andrea Miller)
Haro Online
Mix a bunch of kids with the world of ballroom dancing and the result is Mad Hot Ballroom, Marilyn Agrelo's documentary about a program in New York City's public school system. Agrelo looks at three very different schools, Washington Heights' P.S. 115, ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Haro Online
DVD Clinic (J. Andrew Hosack)
In a post 9/11 New York, 5th grade students from Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens all vie to win a citywide ballroom dance competition. With over 6,000 students entering, challenges and heartbreak are a definite, but only one group will win a ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at DVD Clinic (J. Andrew Hosack)
Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
The film looks like it was originally shot with video cameras and the images were later transferred to film. The images have a kind of flat look to them. The shots are not always framed well. With video cameras you would expect a wealth of material for ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Laramie Movie Scope (Robert Roten)
Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema (Mark Pfeiffer)
The kids are cute and the intentions are good, but ultimately [the film] plays like a teacher's presentation to the school board about the importance of arts education. ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema (Mark Pfeiffer)
Big Picture Big Sound (David Kempler)
Children trying to dance their way into our hearts Documentaries about off-the-beaten-track competitions have become a hot topic. "Spellbound", a film that followed kids in behind-the-scenes fashion as they prepare for and participate in the National ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Big Picture Big Sound (David Kempler)
Bucket Reviews (Danny Baldwin)
Film-Forward.com
This highly entertaining documentary follows several groups of New York City fifth graders as they learn ballroom dancing for a citywide competition. Over the course of 10 weeks, the rambunctious children transform from being grossed out at the thought ...read the complete Mad Hot Ballroom movie review at Film-Forward.com
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