neumu [ cinematronic ]




	The Company
	Robert Altman Neve Campbell, Malcolm McDowell, James Franco 2003		Here comes yet another different sort of movie from director Robert Altman, whose previous release was the sly British murder mystery/comedy of manners "Gosford Park." Altman's "The Company" is a wonderful dramatization that surveys the inner workings of Chicago's acclaimed Joffrey Ballet over the course of one season. Equally adept at eviscerating show-biz insiders ("The Player"), chronicling the lives of losers ("California Split") or dabbling in small-town whimsy ("Cookie's Fortune"), Altman gets a little more upbeat with "The Company." He uses a digital video camera to shoot actual Joffrey members in rehearsal and performance and to track the progress of ballerina-on-the-rise Ry. She's played by saucy, pretty Neve Campbell ("Scream"), a former ballet dancer who needed no stunt double to keep up with the pros. Elements of her struggle (arduous hours of training, low wages necessitating a part-time waitress gig, personal life on hold) are documented, but Altman doesn't forget numerous others striving to make a career in classical dance. He also observes choreographers and administrators as they go about their jobs. It's truly fascinating, with inspired dance sequences and a documentary vibe that feels like eavesdropping. And Malcolm McDowell is terrific and believable as the demanding boss of the Joffrey.