Mao's Last Dancer

2009, Biography/Drama, 1h 57m

77 Reviews 5,000+ Ratings

What to know

critics consensus

Mao's Last Dancer has a stirring story to tell, but excessive sentimentality and leaden pacing keep this biopic from hitting its marks gracefully. Read critic reviews

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Mao's Last Dancer Photos

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Movie Info

The ballet life of Li Cunxin begins when he 11, taken from his peasant family in rural China to train in Beijing, and he defects to the United States as a cultural exchange student as a young man.
  • Rating:
    PG (Incidental Smoking|A Brief Violent Image|Language|Some Sensuality)
  • Genre:
    Biography, Drama
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Bruce Beresford
  • Producer:
    Jane Scott
  • Writer:
    Jan Sardi
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     limited
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $4.8M
  • Runtime:
  • Distributor:
    Samuel Goldwyn Company

Cast & Crew

Bruce Greenwood
Ben Stevenson
Kyle MacLachlan
Charles Foster
Joan Chen
Niang
Chi Cao
Li Cunxin
Amanda Schull
Liz
Wang Shuangbao
Dia
Camilla Vergotis
Mary
Zhang Su
Chan
Guo Chengwu
Teenage Li
Huang Wenbin
11-Year-Old Li
Steven Heathcote
Bobby Cordner
Bruce Beresford
Director
Jan Sardi
Screenwriter
Jane Scott
Producer
Troy Lum
Executive Producer
Peter James
Cinematography
Mark Warner
Film Editing
Christopher Gordon
Original Music
Herbert Pinter
Production Design
Elaine Kusmishko
Art Director
Bernardo Trujillo
Art Director
Anna Borghesi
Costume Design
Sharon Howard-Field
Casting
Nikki Barrett
Casting
Li Haiban
Casting
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Critic Reviews for Mao's Last Dancer

All Critics (77) | Top Critics (34) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (34)
Full Review… Nell Minow Movie Mom Full Review… Rene Rodriguez Miami Herald Full Review… Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness Full Review… Jonathan F. Richards Film.com Full Review… Peter Brunette Hollywood Reporter Full Review… Joe Williams St. Louis Post-Dispatch Full Review… Jana Monji Age of the Geek Full Review… Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com Full Review… Sarah Knight Adamson Sarah's Backstage Pass Full Review… Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens Full Review… Kevin Carr 7M Pictures Full Review… Don Groves sbs.com.au
View All Critic Reviews (77)

Audience Reviews for Mao's Last Dancer

  • Jul 13, 2012
    Not a repeat movie by any means. Some of the melodrama seemed over the top and out of place with his relationship with the girl.
    Megan S Super Reviewer
  • Sep 02, 2011
    'Mao's Last Dancer' (2010) is fascinating, beautiful, and a perfect movie to watch if you want your heart to fly.
    Noah N Super Reviewer
  • Aug 21, 2011
    This is one of those must see based-on-a-true-story movies, even if you aren't into ballet. Beautiful. Entertaining. Inspiring.
    Cynthia S Super Reviewer
  • Apr 29, 2011
    Oh my god, this is such a bad, melodramatic movie. I wanted to watch this because I thought it was a documentary, but Mao's Last Dancer couldn't be further from that.
    Jennifer X Super Reviewer
See all Audience reviews

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