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Routes (2006)

Director: Alex Reuben

Time Out rating

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From Time Out London

Simple in its featurette format it may be, but this low-budget digital documentary by young Brit Alex Reuben is sexy, funny, socio-politically spot-on and thrillingly alert and alive in its presentation of popular American music and dance.

It begins in a city square with a pair of feet pounding to the sound of folk fiddles; by the time he’s travelled down to New Orleans, Reuben’s shared with us his infectious love of the music and dance of traditional white American religious folk, native Americans, black cheerleaders, zydeco dance halls, Mardi Gras parades and more besides.

There’s no dialogue or voiceover, and just enough road-movie footage to offer a sense of place, space and economic state of health. But Reuben conveys so much through unshowy yet evocative camerawork and cutting that his film is joyous and exhilarating throughout. Quite possibly the finest dance film since Robert Altman’s ‘The Company’, and a real treat.

Author: Geoff Andrew

Time Out London Issue 1977, July 10 -16, 2008

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User reviews of this film

Clive Loveless said...

Posted on Jul 21 2008 16:46 I just t6urned up out to the blue to see this film on Saturday at the Gate, Notting Hill. There were just about 6 people in the cinema when it should have been packed! This is an amazing, in your face, documentary made, I hear, on a shoestring of £20,000 by the producer/ camera man, Alex Reuben who had basically just got into a car and travelled south through the USA by way of N. Carolina, Memphis & Jackson, Tennessee through to Louisiana and finally New Orleans. On the way (The Route!) he filmed some unbeliebvable improv. dancing with both white and black folks...drums, fifes, fiddles, washboards, banjos, saxes, etc...but lots of drums! And there vare some unbelievable black kids, in particuloar...dancing or marching...oner young guy doing incredible expressive things my a motorway flyover while the traffic rolls on above his head. This is a must see...all the dancing shot low or right in with the sweat of bodies or just alfresc on a rural porch with just a fiddle player...and the "feel" of the towns, cities and countryside as he moves along! THis is really great: even inspiring! Do try to catch it... Clive.

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