Synopsis
The Company (2003) is Robert Altman's ballet drama, available to watch online on iFILM. With barely a plot, the camera simply observes the daily grind of a Chicago dance troupe — rehearsals, injuries, tours and the rare minutes of glory on stage.
At its center is Ry (Neve Campbell), a young dancer on the verge of becoming a principal. Campbell trained as a ballerina in her youth and developed the project herself, which is why the studio feels so unvarnished. Malcolm McDowell plays the imperious artistic director who treats dancers as raw material, while James Franco is an outsider who reminds Ry there's a life beyond the barre.
Altman works in his signature mode — sprawling cast, overheard conversation, an almost documentary texture — and the actual numbers are performed by the Joffrey Ballet. It's not for viewers who want a tidy story arc, but it's a rare honest look at what the body pays for art. Stream The Company online on iFILM.
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