Dance First

Play trailer

2:26

Dance First

2024

1h 40m

Biography

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

43%

Tomatometer

35 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

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.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Kyle Smith

Wall Street Journal

08/16/2024

Parts of the film are so good that it’s a shame it strikes so many false notes.

Go to Full Review

Glenn Kenny

RogerEbert.com

08/12/2024

2/4

It frequently seems that what the movie ultimately wants from Samuel Beckett is for him not to have been…well, Samuel Beckett.

Go to Full Review

Ben Kenigsberg

New York Times

08/12/2024

“Dance First,” a Beckett biopic from James Marsh (“The Theory of Everything”), offers simple explanations for the career of a writer whose output famously resists explaining.

Go to Full Review

Devon Webb

Spectrum Culture

09/16/2024

Dance First lets down its subject with a disrespectfully shallow approach to the life and work of playwright Samuel Beckett, which leaves us waiting, waiting, waiting, on a narrative that never seems to arrive.

Go to Full Review

Clotilde Chinnici

Loud and Clear Reviews

09/14/2024

3.5/5

While there is a lot to be appreciated in terms of its artistic endeavours, Marsh’ film is not entirely successful the very thing we would have expected from a biopic

Go to Full Review

Carla Hay

Culture Mix

08/24/2024

Dance First (a biopic of writer Samuel Beckett) crafts his life story like a stylish but uneven patchwork quilt. The cast members' performances can keep viewers interested when some scenes drag with monotony. The movie mostly ignores his creative talent.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Robert A

@RT56636066 May 25

A lugubrious flic that never really gets to the heart of Beckett's character. Talking us through a life does not a movie make. Trying to tell ua that an overbearing mom made him the 20th C greatest existential writer or that his muse wasn't only his wife lacks any real.drama. it's like watching a play trying to be a movie. I expected a lot more insight than listening to Gabriel. Bryne whine about his meaningless life.to an alter ego whose role was to remind him that maybe it wasn't after all.

See more

David M

@RT05212202 01/01/2025

This is under appreciated film is in fact rather satisfying psychologically, in particular the relationship between Joyce and Beckett. I would encourage you to watch it. Byrne is terrific as usual.

See more

P.J. L

@RT28363361 08/26/2024

A stunning film carried by outstanding performances. I was aware of a lot of Beckett's history so I was curious to see how the film would flesh most of it out and I was not disappointed. Byrne gives a stellar performance that I hope is not forgotten when award season rolls around.

See more

Fyre S

@RT39676214 08/22/2024

It´s like it was written by someone who only read Beckett´s life story without reading any on his work, just heard that Waiting for Godot is weird. very boring film. No depth, no research or any effort to make it closer to Beckett´s style. The actors are very good definitely but one can see that this is a very superficial film not made for those who love the author. disappointing.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

James Marsh

Director

Gabriel Byrne

Samuel Beckett

Aidan Gillen

James Joyce

Fionn O'Shea

Younger Samuel Beckett

Sandrine Bonnaire

Suzanne

Maxine Peake

Barbara Bray

The Apprentice

82%

84%

The Apprentice

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Apprentice

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

95%

92%

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Watchlist

TRAILER

for A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

King Richard

90%

98%

King Richard

Watchlist

TRAILER

for King Richard

A Million Miles Away

89%

94%

A Million Miles Away

Watchlist

TRAILER

for A Million Miles Away

Molly's Game

82%

84%

Molly's Game

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Molly's Game

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Dance First: Trailer 1

2:26

View more videos

View more photos

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: Film Constellation, Umedia, Proton Cinema, Sky Arts, 2LE Media
Genre: Biography, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 9, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 16, 2024
Box Office (Gross USA): $24.7K
Runtime: 1h 40m