Rating: 
Summary: A loving look at leaving home
Review: "Dancer, Texas, Pop. 81" is a loving look at small towns, small-town people, and leaving (or not leaving) home. The characters remind me of those in my own small town, and the small town presented here is like small towns everywhere; it just happens to sit out in the wide-open spaces of Texas. The relationships of the boys with their families are realistic; it's interesting that only one of the boys is fleeing his family. Performances that are particularly appealing are John's little sister, Josie; Terrell Lee's dad; Earl the storekeeper, and Squirrel. Don't forget the magnificent scenery of Jeff Davis County. Anyone who ever left home, or who even wanted to leave home will love this film. You'll walk away with a smile on your face and tears in your eyes.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice little sleeper....
Review: ...BR>It's a movie about a small town.
Rating:
Summary: A Pure Delight
Review: A film that centers on four friends who made a pact to leave their small town arrive at zero hour and must decide if they will go through with it. The story is simple enough, and not a whole lot happens. But there's no denying it, this movie is enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing in every way. It's a treat to see an intelligent movie where the main charachters are teenagers, and that the film doesn't have to resort too fart jokes for an audience. Not one charachter is stereotyped. They are human, and they'll probably remind you of people you know. I applaud this kind of a movie, and I wish there would be more of them.
Rating:
Summary: Sweet and low-key; welcome to the real Texas
Review: Dancer, Texas covers two days in the life of four members of the graduating class of Dancer, Texas's high school class. (There's five members in total). Dancer is one of those small, forgotten town in West Texas -- the type of town that's watched its fortunes fall along with the oil industry and where everyone, at some point, plans to leave but most never do. The four friends have all sworn to leave after graduation and during this day, they discover the beauty of their past and the hope of their uncertain futures. Its an amazingly low-key film, the type that sneaks up on you and, in its low-key way, is amazingly compelling. You truly get to know Dancer and its 81 inhabitants and understand how they can both love their town and dream of leaving at the same time. With a beautifully written, authentic script, this is one of the most warmly humorous, insightful films about growing up and pursuing your dreams that I've ever had the pleasure to see. The four main characters are played by some very talented young actors and all are wonderful in their own individual ways. Ethan Embry is hilarious as the most eccentric of the quartet while Breckin Meyer gives a star-making performance as the group's leader who is also the most determined to escape. The film's soul is embodied by Peter Facinelli, who reveals a talent that he hasn't been allowed to display since. As the son of the town's leading family, Facinelli manages to perfectly embody the strange middle ground between innocence and wisdom and his scenes with his father are the film's highlight. Shot in West Texas on a low budget, Dancer also features some truly beautiful scenery. Never has West Texas, barren plains and all, looked more like paradise. Perhaps my favorite scene features the four friends watching in awe as a group of wild horses make their way across the plains. Its a beautiful image and the viewer can't help but feel the same awe as the characters on screen.Finally, a film about Texas that doesn't center on a bunch of pot-bellied rednecks, JFK, football players with overdone accents, or chainsaw-wielding maniacs (and in all fairness, the amount of chainsaw-related fatalities had been on a steady decline for the past couple of years...) I'm a lifelong Texas so I naturally appreciated a chance to see a film where my home wasn't portrayed as the sixth ring of Hell. However, even if you hate the Dallas Cowboys and cringe at just the thought of George W. Bush's drawl, you'll enjoy this sweet, low-key film. Its a movie about decent people that doesn't leave you feeling like you've just sat through a six-hour sermon. Dancer, Texas is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen.
Rating:
Summary: Sweet and low-key; welcome to the real Texas
Review: Dancer, Texas covers two days in the life of four members of the graduating class of Dancer, Texas's high school class. (There's five members in total). Dancer is one of those small, forgotten town in West Texas -- the type of town that's watched its fortunes fall along with the oil industry and where everyone, at some point, plans to leave but most never do. The four friends have all sworn to leave after graduation and during this day, they discover the beauty of their past and the hope of their uncertain futures. Its an amazingly low-key film, the type that sneaks up on you and, in its low-key way, is amazingly compelling. You truly get to know Dancer and its 81 inhabitants and understand how they can both love their town and dream of leaving at the same time. With a beautifully written, authentic script, this is one of the most warmly humorous, insightful films about growing up and pursuing your dreams that I've ever had the pleasure to see. The four main characters are played by some very talented young actors and all are wonderful in their own individual ways. Ethan Embry is hilarious as the most eccentric of the quartet while Breckin Meyer gives a star-making performance as the group's leader who is also the most determined to escape. The film's soul is embodied by Peter Facinelli, who reveals a talent that he hasn't been allowed to display since. As the son of the town's leading family, Facinelli manages to perfectly embody the strange middle ground between innocence and wisdom and his scenes with his father are the film's highlight. Shot in West Texas on a low budget, Dancer also features some truly beautiful scenery. Never has West Texas, barren plains and all, looked more like paradise. Perhaps my favorite scene features the four friends watching in awe as a group of wild horses make their way across the plains. Its a beautiful image and the viewer can't help but feel the same awe as the characters on screen. Finally, a film about Texas that doesn't center on a bunch of pot-bellied rednecks, JFK, football players with overdone accents, or chainsaw-wielding maniacs (and in all fairness, the amount of chainsaw-related fatalities had been on a steady decline for the past couple of years...) I'm a lifelong Texas so I naturally appreciated a chance to see a film where my home wasn't portrayed as the sixth ring of Hell. However, even if you hate the Dallas Cowboys and cringe at just the thought of George W. Bush's drawl, you'll enjoy this sweet, low-key film. Its a movie about decent people that doesn't leave you feeling like you've just sat through a six-hour sermon. Dancer, Texas is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen.
Rating:
Summary: Dancer, Pop 77?
Review: Dancer, Texas, is a great movie about four friends trying to decide if they want to make their town of 81 folks into 77. When they were eleven they made a "solemn vow" and now.. they're having second thoughts. Since lots of people wrote reviews here and described the plot, let me just skip that and say what a great movie this is. Not only the cast is great, the director and ther filming, but you can really feel what the carictors are going through. Besides the fact that it's pretty easy to guess who's going and John was rarely shown, I can't find much fault with this movie. exept that is seemed too short...
Rating:
Summary: Finally! A good film about real people.
Review: Don't believe a word that St. Louis [above] says. This film is absolutely wonderful for anyone with a human heart that has ever had a family, a friend, a community, a home, and a giant future overflowing with possibilities. McCanlies proves that stories about real life and real people makes can make a great film without, obscenity, nudity, cruelty and big hollywood names. Worth seeing often....even has dialogue worth listening to....
Rating: 
Summary: Goodbye, Dancer, Hello, Modesto
Review: Entertaining enough, and the half-tender, half-hazing relationship among the boys is well acted and feels true. But hey, haven't we seen Squirrel before? Yep, his name was Toad and he lived in Modesto and he dropped flags for drag races in American Graffiti. A country soundtrack replaces Wolfman Jack; a different number of the four young males leave Dancer than leave Modesto; the mode of transport is also different, bus vs. Magic Carpet Airways, but otherwise this is deja vu all over again. A small, modest movie, whose biggest fault is to go not so boldly where others have dared before.
Rating:
Summary: Goodbye, Dancer, Hello, Modesto
Review: Entertaining enough, and the half-tender, half-hazing relationship among the boys is well acted and feels true. But hey, haven't we seen Squirrel before? Yep, his name was Toad and he lived in Modesto and he dropped flags for drag races in American Graffiti. A country soundtrack replaces Wolfman Jack; a different number of the four young males leave Dancer than leave Modesto; the mode of transport is also different, bus vs. Magic Carpet Airways, but otherwise this is deja vu all over again. A small, modest movie, whose biggest fault is to go not so boldly where others have dared before.
Rating:
Summary: This is filmmaking at its best
Review: Excellent film. This is real filmmaking. Moving story without being sappy. Life's warts are shown here. But life's promise shines through. Even made me dream about living in a place like Dancer, TX.
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