By Emily-Rose Toohey
From the mind of emerging creative Cooper Raiff comes ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’, a heartfelt drama that debuted at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and dropped on Apple TV+ last month.
The film follows university graduate Andrew (played by Raiff) who’s stuck in a mundane job with hopes of travelling to Barcelona where his former partner transferred to for work.
After taking his younger brother David (played by Evan Assante) to a bar mitzvah and flexing his party starter prowess, Andrew meets young mother Domino (played by Dakota Johnson) and her teenage daughter Lola (played by Vanessa Burghardt), who lives with autism.
Andrew strikes up a friendship with the pair and starts to develop romantic feelings for Domino, who is engaged and set to be married.
Dakota Johnson shines in the role and so does Cooper Raiff, whose careful and clever script beautifully writes the tale.
Domino is hell-bent on ensuring Andrew lives and enjoys his twenties for himself, unlike she was able to – hence why their relationship never works out.
She happily marries her husband in the end and walks away from her young friend and his infectious, all-possibility energy.
“I think we’re both your soulmates,” Andrew says at their departure.
‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ is Raiff’s second film and the 25-year-old has established himself as an up-and-coming all-around creative to watch.
The film also stars Leslie Mann as Andrew’s Mum, and she plays the character perfectly.
In a way, she is what grounds the protagonist as she sees through his struggles while being both supportive and honest.
The film is particularly interested in human relationships while it tells a somewhat unconventional coming-of-age tale.
Whether it be heartbreak, relationships with former flames and old friends who have since moved on, and most importantly, the bond between family (particularly sibling relationships), the film tells a realistic story that can hit too close to home at times.
Raiff’s considerate approach results in a funny, emotional drama that is both heart-warming and gut-wrenching.
Audiences are likely to see more of Raiff’s radiant on-screen presence and smart directing/writing in the future, but for now, ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ is available for streaming only on Apple TV+.
