In 2020, the SXSW Film Festival was taken by storm by 23-year-old wunderkind filmmaker Cooper Raiff, who starred in, wrote, and directed “S#!%house,” a disarmingly funny and tender coming-of-age story about the connection that develops between a sensitive, lonely freshman, homesick and struggling at college, and a slightly-older sophomore that attends his school (that film bore shades of Richard Linklater indie-flavored meet-cutes). Having won the top prize at SXSW that year, Raiff now returns with “Cha Cha Real Smooth,” an endlessly charming, equally sensitive, bittersweet follow-up that proves he’s no one-hit-wonder. The writer-director once again stars and proves his mettle acting alongside Dakota Johnson, never once feeling outclassed or outmatched by her counter-balancing, self-assured energy.
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Seemingly picking up where “S#!%house” left off (spiritually, anyhow), “Cha Cha Real Smooth” examines the twenty-something post-college life, which comes loaded with big questions about what to do next, discovering your purpose, and possibly even finding a soulmate. Raiff stars as Andrew, a goofy, sweet, sensitively attuned twenty-something who’s moved back home after graduation and is trying to plan his next moves. But like many of his colleagues, friends, and potential girlfriends (Odeya Rush plays one), the only opportunities on offer are a collection of shit jobs.
Andrew’s suburban New Jersey home life can be difficult, too. While he’s a terrific, empathetic, cheerleading big brother to his little brother David (excellent newcomer Evan Assante), he constantly butts heads with his mother’s humorless boyfriend (Brad Garrett), a man whom he mercifully ridicules seemingly for no good reason. Then there’s his warm, bipolar mom (the always delightful Leslie Mann), who is well-intentioned but has her own issues. Following a manic episode that puts his mother in the doghouse with her girlfriends, Andrew is enlisted to chaperone David at a bar mitzvah. There, seemingly with nothing to lose (and perhaps having perfected his party-animal appeal during college), Andrew becomes the life of the party, charming kids and parents alike.
After proving his mettle as an ebullient, effective party-starter — his mom receives glowing feedback — Andrew goes about attempting to mount a business that consists of planning, hosting, and DJing kids’ parties on the local New Jersey bar mitzvah circuit. During one of these parties, he befriends an autistic middle-school girl, Lola (Vanessa Burghardt), and in the process, her 32-year-old mom, Domino (Dakota Johnson), who becomes instantly intrigued and impressed with the young man, who has delighted her difficult-to-impress daughter. Lola likes to be alone — and certainly doesn’t enjoy dancing — but with great compassion, curiosity, and thoughtfulness, Andrew is able to pull the girl out of her shell.
Given the quick and unlikely connection they’ve forged, Andrew is enlisted to babysit and care for Lola — and what ensues is a smitten flirtation between the curious, seemingly unhappy Domino and the pleasant, precocious Andrew. But given that she’s soon scheduled to marry her fiancé (Raúl Castillo), the meet-cute begins to seem like a fantasy, threatening to ruin the pair’s friendship and seemingly innocent attraction.
Thanks to its large and notable cast, “Cha Cha Real Smooth” vaguely takes on the feeling and shape of a Judd Apatow-produced project. Much like the Michael Showalter-directed and Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani-written “The Big Sick,” “Cha Cha” boasts a self-assured balance of heartfelt laughs and character drama. That said, it still feels very much like a Raiff creation, exhibiting the filmmakers’ distinctively-rendered themes of discovery, heartbreak, lost souls, fate, and missed connections.
The film also amounts to a big step up for Raiff as a director. Like Lena Dunham, whose “Sharp Stick” is also playing at this year’s Sundance, Raiff has an innate ability to craft effervescent and nearly magical sequences set to pop music. Many of the film’s party scenes are captivating in their use of slow-motion to convey bliss, joy, and adolescent escape. Utilizing many similar techniques throughout, Raiff confidently crafts a woozily romantic mood that makes the film easy to fall for.
Similarly, Raiff’s magnetism, verve and joyfulness feel boundless and honest. The coquettish scenes he shares with Johnson provide butterfly-in-the-stomach excitement, evoking the dreamy ecstasy of what could be (Raiff and Johnson’s chemistry is off the charts, and you may find yourself smiling like a fool throughout). But before things get too far out of control (and/or ruin people’s lives), the characters (or at least Domino) come to understand the difference between fantasy and reality, and things inevitably fall apart.
In addition to Raiff’s enchanting, delightful energy, some of the best scenes in “Cha Cha Real Smooth” are the ones between Andrew and Lola — a dynamic that allows us to understand how Domino could come to see Andrew as a potential love interest rather than some dumb kid. The movie is also refreshingly earnest, betraying not a hint of sardonicism or derisive, punching-down humor. Instead, the film centers its narrative on a collection of good-natured humans, just making mistakes and trying to figure shit out.
To that end, Raiff avoids the obvious, self-inflating temptation to make Andrew the romantic hero of the story. Instead, he gets his heart kicked in, makes crucial mistakes, and is painfully human — simply wanting to love, be loved, and make people happy.
“Cha Cha Real Smooth” is an affable, heart-on-its-sleeve winner. If sarcastic irony was the reflexive twenty-something weapon of choice for Gen-Xers, Raiff, bringing his many talents to bear, has the capacity to become a sort of millennial/Gen Z poster boy for a more hopeful brand of sweet, light-on-its-feet sincerity. [B+]
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