A gem among only a handful of films about sumo, Masayuki Suo’s charming comedy revitalizes a national sport for a new generation. Gleaming with the sweat and tears of training, this feel-good tale of underdog tenacity topples outdated notions about athleticism, revealing the power of inner strength.

Tradition and youth culture hilariously collide in Masayuki Suo’s auspicious break into popular filmmaking, a blueprint for his later portraits of social misfits. Juxtaposing slapstick mishaps with ascetic decorum, guitar riffs with mantras, Fancy Dance reaches for enlightenment through pure chaos.