"Bootmen" is one of those films which will not have mass appeal but which will appeal massively to those with whom it resonates: A fact which accounts for a meager 1.5 stars from Ebert with a critical majority voting "awesome" according to efilmcritic.com. A sort of "Footloose" meets "Stomp Out Loud" down under, "Bootmen" tells of a young Australian steel worker who puts together a steel-on-steel tap show benefit against all odds. Thumbing its nose at the typical Hollywood excesses (sensationalism and melodrama),"Bootmen" sticks earnestly to it's purpose mixing love, sex, violence, death, angst, and woe with music and tap dancing in a rough sort of Aussie style while waxing to its climactic "feel good" conclusion. A great watch for anyone into rhythm or tap in film, Aussie flicks, or just plain creative movies.
Bootmen
2000
Comedy / Drama / Romance
Bootmen
2000
Comedy / Drama / Romance
35% - Critics
69% - Audience
6.2Keywords: dancingbrother brother relationshipfactory workertap dancing
Plot summary
Born charmer Sean Okden gave up tap-dancing when he started working in the steel mill, but as that's going down the hill he grabs his chance being the only candidate in his coastal Australian home town Newcastle selected for a Sidney show. Being sacked soon just for a row with the arrogant lead dancer, he returns to find his girlfriend in bed with his brother Mitchell, and decides to start his own tap-dance group wearing hardhats, which he soon gives an original edge when the steel mill inspires him to weld metal on their shoes and dance on industrial steel, so it the metallic acoustics fit well with a local rock group. Financing their local debut is so expensive, even when the mill allows them free us of its premises -opening some acrobatic perspectives- while even his father won't allow him to touch his mother's inheritance for the project, that the 'Bootmen' need to steal the cheerleaders' podium in a televised sports match to get media attention. Sean generously helps his brother when attacked, at the price of their motorbikes, only to learn his assailant Huey and Mitch rival as car (part) thieves, but still allows him into the group - only to see his fatal fall during an attack by Huey's goons. Even when the mill announces phasing out Sean continues, now as a benefit for the sacked workers' retraining.
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Outstanding!!
The tap dance kid is footloose Down Under
Most of the negative comments about this film seem to come from its birth place, Australia. Frankly, "Bootmen" is not a horrible movie by any stretch of the imagination. The film shows some originality in the way the director Dein Perry sets the film in the steel works factory that is about to close and having Sean and his mates practice in another abandoned place that seems to be saying a lot about how industries do away with people that have given their best to make them better.
Adam Garcia, playing Sean, is one of the best things in the film. The other asset is Sam Worthington, who plays Mitch, the brother that seems to attract trouble wherever he goes. Also, Sophie Lee, as the brothers' love interest makes an effective contribution to the movie.
The dancing numbers reminded us of Stomp, the musical that has been playing here for a long time now, in that unusual ways of tap dancing are practiced on the most unconventional ways, which makes "Bootmen" more likable.
The best way to watch the film is to sit back, relax, and let it unfold, as it will win the viewer over with the inspired tap dancing.
One to watch, if you love tap dancing!!
This film was done to promote the Tap Dogs show and dance group, so don't expect complicated or sophisticated plot, cunning twists or even amazing acting.
You can pretty much guess what happens, just from watching the trailer. There is nothing, plotwise, that hasn't been done before and the characters are all tried and tested stereotypes. Cinematography is solid and production quality is safe. There is a fair degree of bad language, which seems a touch out of place given that this film will appeal to a lot of young dance students.
But none of this detracts from the basic underlying premise of the film... Basically, sit back, shut up and enjoy the fabulous tap dancing - That's what it's about and in that respect, it does NOT disappoint!!