A Story Built on Tension and Contradiction

Read Time:6 Minute, 7 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
The Business of Fancydancing (Blu-ray)
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Genre: Drama
Year Released: 2002, Kino Lorber Blu-ray 2026
Runtime: 1h 43m
Director(s): Sherman Alexie
Writer(s): Sherman Alexie
Cast: Evan Adams, Michelle St. John, Gene Tagaban
Where to Watch: available now, order your copy here: www.kinolorber.com or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: Coming home isn’t framed as a warm return here; it feels more like walking straight into an unresolved past. THE BUSINESS OF FANCYDANCING builds the emotional foundation of the film around that unease, following a man who has technically “made it,” only to realize that success doesn’t erase where he came from or the burden that comes with leaving it behind.

Seymour Polatkin is portrayed as someone who has found a version of himself outside the reservation, is successful, openly gay, and recognized for his poetic voice. On paper, that sounds like a complete arc. But the film makes it clear almost immediately that none of that translates to a life when he returns home. What he’s gained in one world has created distance in another, and that fracture becomes the driving force behind everything that follows.

Writer/director Sherman Alexie doesn’t structure this like a standard narrative. There’s a looseness to how scenes unfold, shifting between the present-day, poetic interludes, and moments that feel more observational than plot-driven. It creates something that feels closer to a lived experience, almost a hybrid of a documentary than a constructed story, but it also asks the audience to meet it halfway. If you’re expecting a traditional arc, it’s not going to give you that in a straightforward way.

What it does offer is a layered look at identity, especially when that identity is shaped by multiple worlds that don’t accept each other. Seymour’s sexuality and his cultural background aren’t treated as separate struggles. Instead, the film lets them overlap in ways that feel chaotic and, at times, contradictory. There’s no resolution to how those pieces fit together, and that lack of resolve is intentional. It reflects a reality where belonging isn’t something you just get; it’s something you’re constantly striving for.

Evan Adams’ performance holds the film together even when the structure drifts. There’s a confidence in how he presents Seymour, but it’s balanced by quieter moments where that confidence feels more like something he’s learned. That duality is where the character becomes most compelling. You’re not just watching someone deal with an external conflict; you’re watching them question whether the life they built actually feels like their own.

The dynamic between Seymour and Aristotle adds a grounding that makes the film feel more personal. Their relationship represents two diverging paths, not just in terms of success, but in how they’ve responded to the same environment. Aristotle’s resentment isn’t framed as bitterness. It’s tied to a sense of abandonment, to the idea that leaving comes with consequences that don’t just disappear over time. Their interactions carry a tension that feels earned, shaped by years of distance rather than a single moment of conflict.

The film really stands apart in how it incorporates poetry into its structure. Instead of treating it as a stylistic addition, it becomes part of the storytelling itself. These moments don’t always push the narrative forward, but they deepen the context. You get a clearer sense of how Seymour sees the world, even when he struggles to articulate that in conversation. It’s an approach that won’t work for everyone, but when it lands, it adds a level of intimacy that a more traditional script might not achieve.

At the same time, that approach does contribute to some of the film’s limitations. There are stretches where the pacing slows to the point where the momentum starts to fade, not because the material isn’t meaningful, but because it’s not always building toward something new. The film circles its themes repeatedly, which reinforces its ideas but can also make parts of it feel less focused than they could be.

There’s also a noticeable inconsistency in tone, especially with the inclusion of interview-style segments that break away from the more fluid, poetic structure. These moments add context, but they don’t always blend with the rest of the film. Instead of enhancing the narrative, they occasionally pull you out of it, reminding you of the film’s construction rather than letting you stay immersed in its world.

THE BUSINESS OF FANCYDANCING doesn’t try to simplify its characters or the choices they’ve made. It allows for contradictions, unresolved tension, and moments when no one is really right or wrong. It isn’t offering closure. It’s more interested in where these characters are left emotionally than in tying everything together. That fits with everything that comes before it. This isn’t a story about fixing what’s broken; it’s about acknowledging that some things don’t get fixed, they just become part of who you are.

THE BUSINESS OF FANCYDANCING feels like a deeply personal project, one that prioritizes expression over accessibility. It gives the film a sense of authenticity that’s hard to ignore. It’s uneven at times, but it’s also willing to sit in spaces that more conventional films might avoid. In the end, it’s less about whether Seymour belongs anywhere and more about what it means to exist between worlds that don’t align. That defines the film and gives it a lasting impact, even when its structure doesn’t always hold together.

Product Extras:
NEW Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Sherman Alexie and Producer Larry Estes
Archival Audio Commentary by Writer/Director Sherman Alexie and Star Evan Adams (2002)
Archival Behind-the-Scenes Documentary
Deleted Scenes
Theatrical Trailer

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[photo courtesy of KINO LORBER]

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