Mad Hot Ballroom
Nickelodeon Movies | Release Date: May 13, 2005 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
71
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 32 Critic Reviews
Positive:
30
Mixed:
1
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
A documentary experience to savor. Warm, funny and very difficult to resist, this engaging film combines the charm of "Spellbound" with the kinetic energy of "Strictly Ballroom" in a way that will make you want to laugh, cry and do a little dancing yourself, maybe all at the same time. Read full review
88
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
This winning documentary about fifth-graders who learn ballroom dancing is one of those movies that make the world a brighter place. Read full review
88
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
Isn't just heartwarming and inspiring, it's a remarkable look at a group of children whose most noteworthy trait is that they are ordinary. Read full review
88
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
These kids may be too small for sports and may not be headed to college on academic scholarships. But for once, they've proven to the world and to themselves that they matter. Read full review
83
Portland OregonianShawn Levy
You nevertheless can't help but be swept up in the kids' enthusiasms and aspirations and gobs of energy. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterMichael Rechtshaffen
Resistance is futile. It's impossible not to be swept up into the uplifting world of Mad Hot Ballroom, a documentary that can be neatly summed up as the "Spellbound" of competitive ballroom dancing. Read full review
80
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
Sweet and wise little film. Read full review
80
Wall Street JournalJoe Morgenstern
Don't miss an opportunity to see Mad Hot Ballroom, though. It will sweep you off your feet.
80
Dallas ObserverMelissa Levine
Wildly enjoyable look at the fifth-grade ballroom dance competition held annually in New York City. Read full review
80
EmpireAnna Smith
Cute, comical kids help make this ballroom dancing comp-romp a feelgood winner despite inexpert editing. Read full review
75
USA TodayClaudia Puig
Charming and inspiring. Read full review
75
New York PostLou Lumenick
A crowd-pleaser of the first order. Read full review
75
Entertainment WeeklyOwen Gleiberman
A testament to the discipline, humor, and life of kids who swing. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeTy Burr
Watching these pint-size Astaires and Rogerses practice the fox trot, tango, rumba, and swing is the immediate hook to Mad Hot Ballroom. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleWalter Addiego
Beguiling. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
The considerable charm of Mad Hot Ballroom can be traced directly to its choice of subjects. They happen to be 11-year old kids, and the lens loves every precious one of them. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
A crowd-pleaser of immense proportions. Read full review
75
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
The documentary Mad Hot Ballroom is packed from start to finish with adorable kids doing cute things: Rarely has a movie, fictional or not, had this much awwwww factor. Read full review
75
Rolling StonePeter Travers
Listening to the kids talk is a treat in itself, but watching them strut their stuff in the final competition is enough to make you stand up and cheer. Read full review
70
VarietyRobert Koehler
Perky and effortlessly smooth. Read full review
70
Village VoiceLaura Sinagra
Like "Spellbound's" glimpse of the darker side of childhood competition, Mad Hot Ballroom--a look at New York City schools' fifth-grade ballroom dance program--is best when exploring issues of class and gender and definitions of success. Read full review
70
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
Some of the strongest scenes are candid front-stoop sessions in which the kids swap gossip and float some hilariously pre-sexual theories on romance. Read full review
70
The New York TimesDana Stevens
Ms. Agrelo and Ms. Sewell deserve praise for discovering and illuminating this delightful corner of an educational system that is often portrayed in the grimmest terms, but their execution falls a bit short. Read full review
70
NewsweekDavid Ansen
What Mad Hot Ballroom lacks in depth, it more than makesup for in charm and vibrancy. Read full review
70
L.A. WeeklyElla Taylor
The worthy text of Mad Hot Ballroom is undercut by the real source of its energy, the heat of competition and the pure joy of winning. Read full review
70
Film ThreatMichael Ferraro
An uplifting and inspiring tale. Read full review
70
Washington PostSarah Kaufman
Insightful and endearing documentary. Read full review
70
SlateDavid Edelstein
All along we've known that the contest was a metaphor for getting your act together BEFORE taking it on the road. Read full review
67
Seattle Post-IntelligencerSean Axmaker
It's not the dance but the kids' passion, and the boisterous support of their friends and family in the audience, that makes the contest so entertaining. Read full review
63
Baltimore SunMichael Sragow
No great shakes as a documentary, but there are great shakes in the sight of 10- and 11-year-olds learning ballroom dancing in the New York City public school system. Read full review
50
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
At heart this is a cuteness exploitation flick. Read full review
30
Austin ChronicleMarjorie Baumgarten
In contrast to its great title, Mad Hot Ballroom is anything but: Let’s just say I was not spellbound. Read full review
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