'Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!' review: This Sundance award-winning drama movie is a must-watch that will leave you stunned

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Classics) Tom's Guide Verdict: 'Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!' (2026)Rating: 3.5/5 starsVerdict: If you've ever seen "Tokyo Vice," you've come to expect dark, gritty and violent from director Josef Kubota Wladyka. But while this movie about love and loss delves into some dark places, "Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!" is also a moving, intimate, surprisingly funny fever dream. It's the furthest thing from what you expect from Kubota Wladyka, and while his script doesn't always hit the mark, his direction in this drama is excellent. As is Rinko Kikuchi as the titular Ha-Chan.Where to watch: See "Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!" (2026) in theaters now"Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty" is the first movie I've seen from writer/director Josef Kubota Wladyka. To be fair, it's not a long list of films to choose from; this Sundance competitor is just the third feature from the Polish-Japanese American auteur and only the second one he's made this decade.But I had seen some of his prior television work, and it's a long list of dark, gritty episodes. I'm most familiar with the eight episodes of "Tokyo Vice" he directed, but he's also done work on "The Terror," "Narcos," "Fear the Walking Dead" and "Animal Kingdom." Taking a look at his two other movies, they too seem to fall under the "dark and gritty" description.So I was floored that he was able to put together a film like this. It's not a question of talent, but simply a matter of range. I'm not shocked when Zach Cregger makes "Resident Evil." I'd be surprised if he suddenly made "All of Us Strangers." This film is moving. It's sad. It's a very intimate project centered on an excellent performance from Rinko Kikuchi, who will likely be a familiar face if not a familiar name, and who worked with Kubota Wladyka on "Tokyo Vice." But it's also surprisingly funny and, at times, an absolute trip of a fever dream. Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022. He watches dozens of new releases every year to make sure you don't have to watch any of the bad ones. This dance-filled drama is an incredible portrait of grief"Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!" stars Kikuchi as the titular Ha-Chan, whose given name is Haru Kubota. She's an amateur tango dancer, set to compete in the Tokyo Dance Classic with her loving husband, Luis (Alejandro Edda). That is, until Luis drops dead in the middle of a dance.This dance is one of several dream sequences, where Haru goes into the depths of her mind and envisions a fantastical scene. These are never too far from reality (well, mostly), and the audience knows when to expect them as the movie goes on, as they're often accompanied by a musical cue of some kind.In this instance, she's just imagining that she's having the dance of her life, only to be brought crashing back down to Earth when she sees Luis dead on the floor. Things take a further turn for the worse when Luis's father (Damián Alcázar) and sister (Charley Flyte) arrive. They've come to return Luis to Mexico, while Haru wants Luis's cremated in accordance with Japanese tradition, which is explained to Haru and Luis's family using illustrated instructions that come off as only slightly absurd.Haru ultimately relents, but she's convinced that Luis's spirit won't be able to rest if he's buried the way his father intends. Her concerns are seemingly confirmed when a somewhat kawaii black bird mascot appears before her and then slow dances with Haru. Several months pass and we finally see that the bird is none other than Luis.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.This is where the movie really kicks off, because it's at this chapter in the story that we're introduced to Fedir (Alberto Guerra). He's a new instructor at the dance studio and, as Haru's sisters point out, very attractive. It's not lost on Haru, either, and thus begins her attempt at a rebound that turns into a love triangle in more ways than one.Verdict: 'Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!' is a must-watch HA-CHAN, SHAKE YOUR BOOTY! | Official Trailer (2026) - YouTube Watch On Haru's journey of grief is intense at times, and stunning at others. Her relationship with the bird mascot version of Luis is trippy and the way it intersects with her burgeoning relationship with Fedir is one you won't see coming. Frankly, there are quite a few moments in her relationship with Fedir that you won't see coming, and it's probably the movie's strongest aspect.This isn't a flawless movie. The first act is a bit of a ... slog; it's probably too harsh a word, but it's what comes to mind. The arrival of Bird Luis at least gets you to raise an eyebrow, but things don't really kick off until Fedir is introduced to the story.But once he arrives, Haru and he combine for some incredible scenes, including a fight with a drunken elderly businessman that transforms into a "West Side Story" dance fight before transitioning into a choreographed dance number out of "La La Land," which admittedly is itself derivative of Stephen Sondheim's classic.So, despite its flaws and its somewhat niche format as a dance-laden drama that's distinctly not a musical, I implore you to give this movie a chance. The directing is impressive, and it's unlike anything you'll have seen at the cinema this year. Don't just take my word for it, either. Kubota Wladyka's direction earned the Directing Award in the Dramatic category at Sundance, and it has rave reviews from most who have seen it. This weekend, add yourself to that number."Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!" is in theaters now Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok and Instagram.More from Tom's Guide'The Weight' pits Ethan Hawke against Russell Crowe in a dark heist movie that's a must-watch this weekend5 best new Netflix movies and shows to stream this week (Sept. 21-27)‘The History of Concrete’ review: John Wilson’s documentary is probably unlike anything you’ve ever seen Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.