"Cha Cha Real Smooth" - Film Review
Cooper Raiff’s sophomore feature film, Cha Cha Real Smooth, takes everything he learned from his impressive debut, Shithouse, and grows it into something magnificent. In many ways, Shithouse and Cha Cha Real Smooth feel intertwined. Perhaps it’s because Raiff wrote, directed, and starred in both. More than that, though, the characters he portrays in both films could very well be the same, but not in a reductive way. Raiff is doing more than just rehashing the same character for a new movie. He’s expanding upon the fears and insecurities he explored in Shithouse and creating a spiritual sequel of sorts in Cha Cha Real Smooth.
Shithouse focuses on Alex (Raiff) and his troubles fitting in during his freshman year of college. In Cha Cha Real Smooth, Raiff’s character, Andrew, has freshly graduated from college and is moving back in with his parents. His ex-girlfriend left him for a shiny internship in Europe, and Andrew stalks her Instagram as he spends his days working at Meat Sticks in the mall. Needless to say, this outcome is not what he pictured for himself when he was graduating.
Andrew’s little brother, David (Evan Assante), is going to a classmate’s bar mitzvah, so Andrew tags along to chaperone. While at the event, he accidentally discovers that he has a talent for being a mitzvah party starter. He exudes boyish charm and good-natured energy, and that turns the boring party into a memorable one. The only people not dancing are Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her daughter, Lola (Vanessa Burghardt), who’s autistic and doesn’t like to be around crowds. They too find Andrew’s charm impossible to ignore.
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Just as with Andrew’s antics, the beginning of Cha Cha Real Smooth is effortlessly charming. It’s funny in unexpected ways, and Raiff proves more than capable of commanding the film from the directing, writing, and acting standpoints. The second half of the film turns much more solemn and introspective, but it’s still deeply amusing and doesn’t lose quality. It pivots to a more heartfelt, earnest movie.
Raiff’s films to date have been centered on two young men who are more emotional leading men than audiences are used to. It’s beautiful to watch Andrew discuss his insecurities about the future and process why he finds self-worth externally instead of internally. The emotions of young men in film are often one dimensional, but Raiff digs deep and really allows the audience to feel the strength of his characters’ emotions. Given his proximity in age to these characters, it’s possible that Raiff is processing his own life and emotions through the scripts.
Cha Cha Real Smooth is earnest and confident in a beautifully youthful way.
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