Hula Girls

2006

108 mins

Japanese comedy that swept it's native Academy Awards, based on a true story and described as the "Japansese Full Monty". More

Japanese comedy that swept it's native Academy Awards, based on a true story and described as the "Japansese Full Monty".

Set in 1965, after the small town of Joban has come upon hard times after its chief coal mine shuts down. The local authorities decide to try to revive their fortunes by converting it into a Hawaiian-themed tourist resort, thus necessitating the need for local young women who can hula dance. Arriving to train the awkward recruits is a famous dancer (Matsuyuki) from Tokyo whose career has slumped. The hard-drinking, tough-edged instructor garners disapproval from the girls' parents, but, sets to work trying to get her ragtag group into hula dancing shape.

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Hula Girls | Ratings & Reviews

56_%18 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes® rating
82_%3,481 reviews
Audience score rating

"It's all warm, well-shot, instantly forgettable, and familiar to a fault..."

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Village Voice

"Utterly predictable but it sure is a lot of fun..."

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Variety

"Freely mixing predictably wacky comedy with predictably melodramatic plot elements (a mining accident, domestic abuse, etc.), the film nonetheless manages to be reasonably entertaining despite, or, depending upon how you look at it, because of, its formulaic elements. Disbelieving skeptics should be advised that it is based on a true story..."

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