Dance First

In Theaters Fri Aug 9

1h 40m

Biography

Drama

TRAILER

for Dance First: Trailer 1

List

56%

Tomatometer

18 Reviews

Literary genius Samuel Beckett lived a life of many parts: Parisian bon vivant, WWII Resistance fighter, Nobel Prize-winning playwright, philandering husband, recluse. But despite all the adulation that came his way, he was a man acutely aware of his own failings. Titled after Beckett's famous ethos "Dance first, think later," the film is a sweeping account of the life of this 20th-century icon.

Read More

Read Less

Coming Soon

In Theaters Fri Aug 9

Reserve Tickets

James Marsh

Director

Gabriel Byrne

Samuel Beckett

Aidan Gillen

James Joyce

Fionn O'Shea

Younger Samuel Beckett

Sandrine Bonnaire

Suzanne

Maxine Peake

Barbara Bray

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Byrne is rather good in the role, his rueful, craggy face a battleground for a war between Beckett’s self-regard and his self-loathing.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 5, 2023

Full Review

Danny Leigh

Financial Times

The film can be a treat to look at, shot mostly in glowing, milky black and white. And performances range from sturdy to superlative.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 3, 2023

Full Review

Robbie Collin

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Dance First presents an uninspired clod-hop through its subject’s life, while showing barely a flicker of interest in the extraordinary plays, poems and prose that it yielded.

Rated: 1/5

Nov 2, 2023

Full Review

Stefan Pape

Common Sense Media

Dance First still takes a profound look across Beckett's life, but the film takes artistic risks and a fascinating route into his mind.

Jan 10, 2024

Full Review

Antonio Trashorras

Fotogramas

In 'Dance First' there are many well-conceived and executed scenes in which the accessible approach of 'swimming without getting wet' works fairly well to please the general public... [Full review in Spanish]

Dec 18, 2023

Full Review

Elsa Fernández-Santos

El Pais (Spain)

... A polished black and white film, curious and well-acted although of impossible intent to capture the life of the author of Waiting for Godot. [Full review in Spanish]

Dec 18, 2023

Full Review

Read all reviews

Dance First: Trailer 1

2:26

View more videos

View more photos

The Lord of the Ants

70%

%

The Lord of the Ants

Howl

63%

58%

Howl

A Street Cat Named Bob

77%

77%

A Street Cat Named Bob

TRAILER

for A Street Cat Named Bob

Last Call

30%

90%

Last Call

TRAILER

for Last Call

Jokes & Cigarettes

100%

%

Jokes & Cigarettes

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Synopsis

Literary genius Samuel Beckett lived a life of many parts: Parisian bon vivant, WWII Resistance fighter, Nobel Prize-winning playwright, philandering husband, recluse. But despite all the adulation that came his way, he was a man acutely aware of his own failings. Titled after Beckett's famous ethos "Dance first, think later," the film is a sweeping account of the life of this 20th-century icon.

Director: James Marsh
Producer: Michael Livingstone, Tom Thostrup, Viktória Petrányi
Screenwriter: Neil Forsyth
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Sky Arts, 2LE Media, Proton Cinema, Film Constellation, Umedia
Genre: Biography, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 9, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 16, 2024
Runtime: 1h 40m