Sweet, soulful, and optimistic, CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH is the warm-hearted movie we all needed to start 2022 with.
Dakota Johnson appears in CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH by Cooper Raiff. Photo: Courtesy of Sundance Institute.
CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH Review
Cooper Raiff‘s second feature film, CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH, undeniably places Raiff as an up-and-coming filmmaker. Solid directing, compelling performance, flawless script—he created the ultimate cinematic experience. His heartwarming romance with relatable characters will speak to your soul and stay with you for days.
However, the real winner of 2022 Sundance Film Festival is Dakota Johnson, who firmly planted herself as the queen of the fest with her dynamic performances in CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH and AM I OK?
Dakota Johnson delivers another emotional performance as Domino in CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH, while Vanessa Burghardt shines in her debut role as Lola.
The soundtrack for CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH is an eclectic selection of eras and genres that Rob Lowry has masterfully pieced together, yet somehow they work well to move the story forward and evoke the right emotion at the right point in the story, and Este Haim’s score ties it all together.
About CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH
Fresh out of college—but now what? Higher education failed to provide 22-year-old Andrew with a clear life path going forward, so he’s stuck back at home with his family in New Jersey. But if college did teach him one thing, it’s drinking and partying—skills that make him the perfect candidate for a job party-starting at the bar and bat mitzvahs of his younger brother’s classmates. When Andrew befriends a local mom, Domino, and her daughter, Lola, he finally discovers a future he wants, even if it might not be his own.
Cooper Raiff follows up his 2020 SXSW Grand Jury Prize–winning debut feature, Shithouse, with a tale of young love that brims with emotional honesty. He writes, directs, produces, and stars in this charmer that respects all its characters’ struggles, even in moments when its protagonist can’t see beyond himself. Featuring a fantastic ensemble cast including Dakota Johnson, Leslie Mann, and newcomers Vanessa Burghardt and Evan Assante, CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH is made for the hopeless romantic living inside us all.
Cooper Raiff, director of CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Alexandria Lior.
About COOPER RAIFF
CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH is Cooper Raiff’s second original feature film. His directorial debut, Shithouse, which he also wrote, produced, edited, and starred in, was the recipient of the 2020 SXSW Film Festival Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Film and was released by IFC Films to wide acclaim. Raiff is in development on his third feature and multiple television series.
Rating: Not yet Rated (contains adult language)
Runtime: 107 min
Director: Cooper Raiff
Screenwriter: Cooper Raiff
Producer: Dakota Johnson, Ro Donnelly, Erik Feig, Jessica Switch, Cooper Raiff
Executive Producer: Jeff Valeri, Shayne Fiske Goldner, Julia Hammer
Music Supervisor: Rob Lowry
Composer: Este Haim, Chris Stracey
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Cooper Raiff, Vanessa Burghardt, Evan Assante, Brad Garrett, Leslie Mann
CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH premiered on January 23 at the Sundance Film Festival.
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