While known for her strong dramatic performances, Academy Award nominated actress Alfre Woodard shows off her comedic side as the titular character in Netflix’s new film Juanita based on Sheila Williams’ novel Dancing on the Edge of the Roof.
Juanita is a grandmother who is disgruntled with life and taking care of her unemployed adult children and wants to get away. Initially Juanita escapes her life of work and supporting her family by fantasizing about being wooed by actor Blair Underwood (who stars in dream scenes as a parodied version of himself), but when that isn’t enough, she literally escapes her city life trekking west leading her on a journey of self discovery and connections she never expected.
One thing that Juanita does effectively is that the lead character breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly to the audience. In the first half of film, the scenes transition between Juanita telling the audience her inner thoughts to showing her interactions with friends and family. However as the movie progresses, there is less of that interior monologue for the audience to identify Juanita’s inner feelings. Helping to show the different sides of Juanita’s life, the first half of the film switches between Juanita’s life, imagination (which is really where things get creative especially in one instance when Juanita rejects her dream man’s request for money) and speaking to the audience directly. Although the scenes between Woodard and Underwood only exist in Juanita’s imagination, they make the movie pop with Blair stealing the scenes.
Woodard brings genuine connectivity to her character in her delivery. She brings her unique brand of sass, blended motherly concern and love, even if she has to deliver tough love. Woodard also does a good job of expressing Juanita’s freedom within her imagination casually cursing and using slang in a comedic way, dancing and talking to the audience in a way that they might feel their auntie or older female cousin, neighbor or friend might. She also delivers when her character has a moment where she fully breaks down tears and all. You can feel her pain in her struggles as a mother.
When the movie takes a turn in the second half change happens at a rapid pace for Juanita with ending up in a new location, finding a new job and finding romance with her boss a chef named Jess (Adam Beach). Also in an unexpected move, Juanita is drawn into a new culture. Jess follows Native American customs and traditions, which truly changes her. Juanita and Jess’ attraction and chemistry is instant, a kind of love at first sight.
The film does lack major conflict or drama. There are no issues between Juanita and Jess aside from their cultural differences but Juanita seems to accept them quickly and there are no obstacles in her way of getting to her final destination. The film could also use more development in showing the lives of Juanita’s children in her absence, which the exception of Juanita’s son played by Marcus Henderson. Henderson’s character is given a meaty part in the plot and Henderson makes you root for Randy although he is initially a prisoner when he is introduced.
Juanita is light-hearted film that offers something different for its intended audience and in doing so delivering the message that no mater what age, 40, 50, or 60 it’s okay to escape one’s life and start anew.
Juanita is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
