THE ROAD DANCE was a wonderful surprise of a movie! The title, THE ROAD DANCE, didn't give any significant indication of the themes or style of the movie. However, this film is a lesson in life, family, friendship, and love - and the incredible pressures imposed on women in certain periods of history (and in some modern contexts still) to conform to social mores that oppress women and have the potential to destroy their lives.
The story takes place on the Outer Hebrides in Scotland during WWI just before the war breaks out. The main character of this deeply moving movie is a young girl named Kirsty McLeod, who lives in a small village that is patriarchal and rigidly conservative. Kirsty's character shows us how courage, strength, and determination can prevail even in the most oppressive of circumstances. She's a bright, beautiful girl who dreams of a better life and the chance to go for her dreams. Then a profound tragedy strikes, and things begin to unravel quickly. Kirsty is forced to choose between societal expectations of a woman or a more liberated choice that could potentially cost her everything she holds dear.
The cinematography of THE ROAD DANCE is stunning. The movie does an exquisite job of conveying a sense of the dark beauty of the Outer Hebrides. The strong female characters are all incredibly passionate and dynamic, and they find strength in each other during this most challenging time. Hermione Corfield, who plays Kirsty, is fantastic as she takes us through an emotionally intense journey, and she carries the movie with her breathtaking acting performance.
I won't say too much more about the plot, as it should be experienced in full, but I will say that THE ROAD DANCE is an important movie which every woman and man should watch. My only criticism is that the story should have ended before the actual end (if that makes sense) which seemed rushed and highly contrived. That aside, I was deeply moved by THE ROAD DANCE. It is an incredible film and I highly recommend it - go see it!
