The Company

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The Company

PG-13

Released Dec 25, 2003

1h 52m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

72%

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130 Reviews

49%

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5,000+ Ratings

Loretta "Ry" Ryan (Neve Campbell) is an aspiring ballerina performing with the renowned Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. As she struggles with the demands of being a dancer, she also begins a relationship with the handsome Josh (James Franco), who isn't involved in that insular world. The drama looks at the lives of others in the company, including the passionate artistic director, Alberto Antonelli (Malcolm McDowell), and features many actual Joffrey dancers.

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Critics Consensus

Its deliberately unfocused narrative may frustrate some viewers, but The Company finds Altman gracefully applying his distinctive eye to the world of dance.

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Antonia Quirke

London Evening Standard

This is Altman at his easiest, his most unruffled, and complete.

Dec 15, 2017

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Excellent look at what goes into creating ballet.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 28, 2010

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Angie Errigo

Empire Magazine

The venerable Altman's distinctive eye remains undimmed.

Rated: 3/5

May 14, 2004

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Joan Acocella

The New York Review of Books

A film drama that, for the first time in my experience, shows ballet dancers not as wounded birds, but as normal, serious working people.

Aug 15, 2018

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

A minor work in the oeuvre of Altman or producer Vachon, this behind the scenes dance film exhibits the director's stylisic devices but lacks fresh and poignant insights.

Rated: C+

Mar 23, 2013

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Dance sequences, both in the studio and in performance, make up the symbolic and potent thrust of this enjoyable yet confined movie.

Rated: B

May 4, 2009

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Brad S. R

A captivating and gorgeous portrait of a fictionalized Joffrey Ballet.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/28/25

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steve d

Far too much time trying to look like a documentary when it should have been worried about a plot.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

It’s a beautiful homage to ballet; but, seriously, what was the point of this film? Brava to Campbell and the dance company, but jeers to Altman and his writers for forgetting to write a PLOT. Unsung heroes: the poor bastards who had to try to market this film.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

09/12/18

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kirby p

This movie blows so hard I couldn't watch it. Gave up after a half hour and fast-forwarded through the rest. It didn't get any better.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Altman's signature fly-on-the-wall modus operandi on the ins and outs of a ballet company makes great infotainment and the purposeless story is just a pathetic backdrop.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

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Audience Member

Robert Altman drag his camera behind the curtains of a dancing troop for our greatest pleasure. The film is highly interesting if you like classical dance. Well acted & beautifully shot it truly deserves a look.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

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Robert Altman

Director

Neve Campbell

Ry

Malcolm McDowell

Alberto Antonell

James Franco

Josh

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Synopsis

Loretta "Ry" Ryan (Neve Campbell) is an aspiring ballerina performing with the renowned Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. As she struggles with the demands of being a dancer, she also begins a relationship with the handsome Josh (James Franco), who isn't involved in that insular world. The drama looks at the lives of others in the company, including the passionate artistic director, Alberto Antonelli (Malcolm McDowell), and features many actual Joffrey dancers.

Director: Robert Altman
Producer: Joshua Astrachan
Screenwriter: Barbara Turner
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co: John Wells Productions, Marly Pictures Inc., Sony Pictures Classics, Capitol Films, Sandcastle 5 Productions, Killer Films, First Snow Production
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 2003, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.3M
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: Surround

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