Tango review

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

A middle-aged Argentinian director falls for a young dancer as he shoots a movie about the tango. It's a risky move, since the girl in question's currently the lover of the shadowy businessman-cum-mobster financing the show, a man not likely to take rejection well. Plot and performances are sub-standard Almodovar, while characters and story strands drift in and out, often vanishing all together, as fact and fiction blur in a way that robs events of meaning. Yet Tango is still worth seeing.

Why? Well, put it down to the dancing. Driven by Lalo Schifrin's arrangements, the tango here is a raw, mesmeric thing. Whether it's two people dancing against a stark white background or dozens re-enacting moments from the tortures of the Junta, Tango's images linger long after its flaws have faded.

NOVERDICT

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine.