I was very interested to see this film ever since starting to learn Tango. The reviews seemed favourable enough and the trailer was enticing. Regrettably, it is not a film I can appreciate. It is messy, uneven and pretentious. The plot barely makes sense, the scenes from a supposed film that the protagonist is working on are beyond absurd and the only saving grace is dancing. I only wish there would be more of it and much, much less of the rest. Unfortunately, the learning process is mostly omitted and the protagonist becomes this amazingly proficient dancer all of a sudden - which is implausible to the point of ridiculous - in reality it would take her a minimum of 5 years of intensive work to be able to dance like that - Tango is an incredibly complex and demanding dance, there are few dance forms that are harder (perhaps Ballet and Flamenco). My advice to the viewer is to fast forward to the dance scenes - this way avoiding the waste of their time and being disappointed.

Everyone has mentioned this: the problem with "The Tango Lesson" is that it has Sally Potter all around. And Sally Potter doesn't dance badly, but her character, her persona, feels thin for a main character (surely because she tamed it down a lot, "forgetting" many of her "ugly" bits, so she feels like an unfinished creation), and can't carry the movie. It's interesting when the films feels sincere (loneliness, creation, and so on), but the thing that redeems this 100 minutes are the dance pieces, the musical parts, which for once they feel like a natural and optimistic part of the story that do not break the narration but feel part of it (like in the old MGM musicals and so on), and Pablo Verón. She has strengths; it's a pity that she didn't realize of her weaknesses.

The Tango lesson is an absolute horror. You either have to love tango or the actors or have brought a book or an extremely interesting date, otherwise this movie is unsupportable.My suggestion is to buy a book or go see another movie, in any case, do not rent or go watch this one, unless you have any of the above qualities. If you fail to qualify for any of these, please rest assured that your evening will most likely be spoiled like mine was some years ago. It is beyond comparison with anything I ever have seen before or since.I never left a cinema before the end of a movie but I couldn't wait until the end of this one. You have been warned..

the dance. the passion of clashing characters, cultures and dancing styles. the music. the never-ending strive for dominance, for self-comprehension, for excellence in the art that speaks to your heart. the joy of love and the crying of the broken heart. the non-imposing touch of religion and intellect and determination, melted into the lives of tri-lingual strangers who allowed their pathes to cross to form an emotional bouquet of lust, atristry and cinematography called the tango lesson. elegant, sincere, and wicked. possibly, one of the best movies you'll ever let sink under your skin, along with the rain of buenos aires, lights of the Seine cruise ship, and a-typical british breath of life.mesmerizing movie. heart-breaking soundtrack.highly recommended if you believe that tango - or any art, for that matter - can change one's life. and a-must if it already did.