Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022) - Review

There’s a cliche when it comes to film bros like me, the “literally me” type of movie. Think American Psycho, Drive, any other Ryan Gosling movie, but with Cha Cha Real Smooth, it actually is “literally me”. The film stars Cooper Raif as Andrew as he’s struggling to get a job, deal with his family, navigate his love life and find the stability that has to exist for the rest of his life. It is a film about young twenty-somethings made by a young twenty-something. Cooper Raif may star, but he also wrote and directed the film, and the energy, charisma and wit all comes from him. But with that, he knows how we, or specifically I, feel. Lost at times, easily emotionally attached and attempting to look smarter than I am. The film feels like the coming of age magnum opus; that all filmmakers have tried for years but it took some young kid to nail it. His direction, writing, and performance are amazing and sharp. The pace is fast and each character has their depth. Dakota Johnson delivers an amazing supporting performance, and the film mixes its tones very well. The film worked with me on every level. If the final moments delivered a stronger punch, perhaps I would love it even more. As of now, this coming of age story is the one to top it all, but if you aren’t a young twenty-something like me, I wonder how much it would impact you.