Film: The Last Dance

Another Hong Kong film is shown in the little old but appreciated Odeon.

The Last Dance is the funeral ceremony a Taoist priest performs. Dominic, a wedding planner before the pandemic, has a lead for a job in the funeral centre. I guess because they are joined by a family friend, the owner offers him the job. He then spends all his time justifying this decision to Master Man, the old-school Taoist priest, leading to many comedy moments. However, the film is also about gender roles and family ties. We learn about the priest’s son and daughter, the former a reluctant benefactor of the family business, the latter a quiet, enthusiast.

As you know, it’s always worth watching a film where the supporting star is Hong Kong but this was a good insight into the Taoist rituals.

Also, it reminded me of the Rick Springfield album, Tao which in my memory, in interviews, he about being influenced by Taoism and the subsequent spiritual journey he had been on.

7/10