Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!

Once, in a Star Trek movie—Generations, to be precise—I heard a quote about life that has stuck with me:

“Someone once told me that time is a predator that stalks us all our lives. I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment.”

Life can come at you fast, and I thought about that quote while watching Josef Kubota Wladyka’s new movie, Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! But that’s not all the movie made me want to do—it also really made me want to dance the night away.

Haru (Rinko Kikuchi) has found the perfect partner in her husband, Luis (Alejandro Edda). Their life is carefully calibrated, with him fawning over her and cooking for her while she picks albums to play from their impressive vinyl collection. They also share a love for ballroom dancing and compete together, but all of that comes to a halt when Luis dies from a heart attack.

Haru wants to cremate Luis, but his father wants to take him back to Mexico, which sparks a fear in Haru that Luis will have trouble getting into the afterlife. Haru disappears into her own world, but nine months later, with the help of her sister Yuki (Yoh Yoshida) and cousin Hiromi (You), she finally makes it back to the dance floor.

It is there that she meets Fedir (Alberto Guerra), a smoking-hot instructor who also happens to be in an open marriage. Haru tries to find the same groove with Fedir that she had with Luis, using dance as her love language as she searches for that spark in life once again.

Written by Nicholas Huynh and Josef Kubota Wladyka, with Wladyka also directing, Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! is first and foremost a story about survival, loss, and love, with a little musical fantasy thrown in. The musical fantasy provides some of the most captivating moments of the movie, with almost dreamlike dance numbers that help capture Haru’s desires and feelings. They’re enchanting and easily one of the film’s biggest draws.

Wladyka based the film on his mother’s life and experiences, and because of that, the movie is infused with love, sympathy, and admiration. It makes Haru feel incredibly human and makes it easy to root for her as she tries to find her way again.

Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! is both heartfelt and charming, and it should resonate with anyone who has ever lost someone. Sure, there are plenty of films out there about death and anguish, but this one  feels unique within that category.

Told in six chapters, the vibe is established early by Wladyka with the film’s surreal mix of tones. This is a movie that isn’t afraid to have fun with itself, especially with its use of color and movement. The tone shifts from lighthearted, gentle, and affectionate to moments of hopelessness, reminding us that human emotions are messy and that going through grief is a process.

As far as the performances go, Kikuchi is fantastic, both as a dancer and an actress. She keeps you totally invested in a damaged character who is incredibly easy to root for.

Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! is a true crowd-pleaser, sprinkled with magical realism, tragedy, romance, and even the absurdity of modern dating. Altogether, it’s a meditation on grief with enough romance, style, and humor to remind us that even after tremendous loss, there’s still plenty of life left to live—and maybe even enough to make you want to do a little shakin’ yourself.

Brian Taylor

Member of the North Texas Film Critics Association, and lover of all things Cinema