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HistoryDrama

Dance First

- Think later.

Parisian bon vivant, World War II Resistance fighter, Nobel Prize-winning playwright, philandering husband and recluse…Samuel Beckett lived a life of many parts. Titled after Beckett’s famous ethos “Dance first, think later”, the film is a sweeping account of the life of this 20th-century icon.

Release Date : 2023-11-03

Language :EnglishFrench

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : 2LE MediaFilm ConstellationProton CinemaSky ArtsuMedia

Production Country : BelgiumHungaryUnited Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Gabriel Byrne

Character Name : Samuel Beckett

Original Name : Gabriel Byrne

Gender : Male

Aidan Gillen

Character Name : James Joyce

Original Name : Aidan Gillen

Gender : Male

Sandrine Bonnaire

Character Name : Suzanne

Original Name : Sandrine Bonnaire

Gender : Female

Fionn O'Shea

Character Name : Young Samuel

Original Name : Fionn O'Shea

Gender : Male

Maxine Peake

Character Name : Barbara

Original Name : Maxine Peake

Gender : Female

Bronagh Gallagher

Character Name : Nora Barnacle

Original Name : Bronagh Gallagher

Gender : Female

Lisa Dwyer Hogg

Character Name : May Beckett

Original Name : Lisa Dwyer Hogg

Gender : Female

Caroline Boulton

Character Name : Sylvia Beach

Original Name : Caroline Boulton

Gender : Female

Gráinne Good

Character Name : Lucia Joyce

Original Name : Gráinne Good

Gender : Female

Cillian Hollywood

Character Name : 5 year old Samuel

Original Name : Cillian Hollywood

Gender : Male

Patrik Piró

Character Name : Adam

Original Name : Patrik Piró

Gender : Male

Léonie Lojkine

Character Name : Younger Suzanne

Original Name : Léonie Lojkine

Gender : Male

Andrew Hefler

Character Name : Leon

Original Name : Andrew Hefler

Gender : Male

Barry O'Connor

Character Name : William Beckett

Original Name : Barry O'Connor

Gender : Male

Caleb Johnston-Miller

Character Name : 10 year old Samuel

Original Name : Caleb Johnston-Miller

Gender : Male

Robert Aramayo

Character Name : Alfred Peron

Original Name : Robert Aramayo

Gender : Male

Rebecka Johnston

Character Name : Woman 1

Original Name : Rebecka Johnston

Gender : Female

Szabolcs Kelemen

Character Name : Prudent

Original Name : Szabolcs Kelemen

Gender : Male

Laurent Winkler

Character Name : King Gustav

Original Name : Laurent Winkler

Gender : Male

Jenni Bowden

Character Name : Woman 2

Original Name : Jenni Bowden

Gender : Male

Júlia Szász

Character Name : Mania

Original Name : Júlia Szász

Gender : Female

Francis McBurney

Character Name : M

Original Name : Francis McBurney

Gender : Male

László Aranyossy

Character Name : Priest

Original Name : László Aranyossy

Gender : Male

Ildikó Hidasi

Character Name : Lady with dog

Original Name : Ildikó Hidasi

Gender : Male

Dávid Mester

Character Name : Resistance member #3 (uncredited)

Original Name : Dávid Mester

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-11-04

Gabriel Byrne's rather uninspiring portrayal of Nobel laureate Samuel Beckett begins at the ceremony when he collects his cheque then climbs up through the theatre to a cave where he meets himself (in a polo neck) and together they try to decide what to do with the cash! This chat provides the scenario for a retrospective of the man's life. His childhood with a loving father and more distant mother; a life (now played by Fionn O'Shea) in Paris where he encounters the legendary James Joyce (Aiden Gillen) and his dance-loving daughter "Lucia" (Gráinne Good) before the Nazis arrive and he joins the French resistance and meets "Suzanne" (Sandrine Bonnaire) before becoming Byrne again for a denouement with her and BBC producer Barbara (Maxine Peake). Now clearly this was not an uneventful life, nor was this a dull man - but somehow the whole, lethargic, pace of this film rather grinds the joy from it. There are glimpses of the pithy wit of both Joyce and Beckett, and I did quite enjoy O'Shea's portrayal of the younger man but the rest is really an awkwardly introspective guilt trip as this man looks back on a life that is full of regret but very little positivity. Indeed, the whole film seems more focussed on offering us shallow glances of those who were important in his life rather than try to explain to us anything of his nature or just quite why we ought to care. Perhaps it is an authentic reflection of his life, but it's really quite a dull watch - even if the film itself does look great. Some lovely ragtime jazz though.