Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!

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Movie Info & Cast

Release Date:

Sep 25, 2026

Runtime:

2hr 2m

Synopsis

Haru and Luis love competing in Tokyo's ballroom dance scene, but after tragedy strikes, Haru withdraws into isolation. When friends coax her back to the studio, she develops an infatuation with the new instructor.
Moviegoers are saying
Josef Kubota Wladyka's 'Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!' delivers an unexpectedly heartwarming blend of grief and joy, following 46-year-old Haru as she navigates widowhood through ballroom dancing and an awkward new crush. Audiences are charmed by Rinko Kikuchi's endearing performance and the film's magical realism elements, though some find the tonal shifts between absurdist comedy and emotional depth occasionally jarring.
Top Mentions
Tear-Jerker
Dance-Spectacular
Grief-Journey
Mid-Life-Romance
Magical-Realism
Costume-Perfection
Summary generated from the text of Atom User reviews

Letterboxd User Reviews

3.8
7.7K
4.7K
3.2K
RATINGS 31 FANS
3.8
  • Aug 23, 2026

    Luis: Do you want me and Fedir to kiss? Haru: 👍😊👍 Luis: 👍😊👍 Fedir: 👍😊👍 Me: 👍😊👍

    454 Likes
    watchgoodmovies
    watchgoodmovies
    Sep 26, 2026

    I made the same face Haru makes when she watches those two dudes kiss.

    174 Likes
    Jason Duron
    Jason Duron
    Jan 23, 2026

    finally a movie about the evils of polyamory

    365 Likes
    colin simpson
    colin simpson
  •
    Jan 23, 2026

    When I die put me in a giant bird suit and launch me into the air like a firework please

    285 Likes
    JP Pizzimenti
    JP Pizzimenti
    Sep 24, 2026

    I’m a huge fan of Josef Kubota Wladyka’s previous film Catch the Fair One, so his latest was both highly anticipated and quite a surprise. After the heavy intensity of his last film, I was caught off-guard by how buzzy and absurdist Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! often is.…

    98 Likes
    claira curtis
    claira curtis
    Sep 29, 2026

    A surprisingly funny and sweet movie about the unexpected loss of a loved one, and the grief that follows. Haru is in love with Luis, her husband and ballroom dancing partner. His sudden death is a devastating loss that drives her to self-isolate. Ha-Chan, as her two…

    65 Likes
    caterwauls
    caterwauls
  •
    Sep 26, 2026

    When your heart's on fire, smoke gets in your eyes. This lovely and heartful film hit me a lot harder than I expected. When Ha-Chan's husband suddenly dies of a heart attack while they are dancing competitively, she struggles with the grief while her friends try to help…

    83 Likes
    Patr0ck
    Patr0ck
    Jan 22, 2026

    That Punch Drunk Love poster that kept coming back felt like an old friend

    170 Likes
    Zach Reagan
    Zach Reagan
    Jan 31, 2026

    Boldly (correctly) proposes that the one true universal language is Dirty Dancing. 

    151 Likes
    Katey Rich
    Katey Rich

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Top Reviews
  • jam jammy jambam
    jam jammy jambam loved
    Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!

    Tiff26 #10 A surreal, highly comedic meditation on grief and the healing power of dance and music. Speaking of which, the Japanese-Spanish fusion soundtrack is mind-bogglingly fun. Features an incredible needle drop that had the entire theatre hollering. Haru clearly has a type.

    14D

Atom Users Reviews

5.0
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Reviews

  • MP
    Michael Phung
    #girlsnight
    #hilarious
    #smart

Metacritic

75
metacritic
Based on 15 Critics
tbd

USER SCORE (0)

There are no user reviews yet
88
Sep 22, 2026

Though the film feels a bit overlong, watching it is a pleasure; Wladyka, who made Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! as a tribute to his ballroom-dancing mother, effortlessly combines a gentle exploration of heartbreak with a whimsical tribute to those who love dance.

Metacritic review by Moira Macdonald
Moira Macdonald
The Seattle Times
75
Sep 22, 2026

Told in chapters, “Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty!” unfolds like a good beach novel read. Cinematographer Daniel Satinoff is the movie’s MVP, but the needle drops and musical interludes earn a close second place. This is a fun, breezy way to kill two hours at the movies.

Metacritic review by Odie Henderson
Odie Henderson
Boston Globe
60
Sep 10, 2026

Kikuchi’s prowess is on full display here, as so much of the story rests on her shoulders. Her character is in virtually every scene, and even in the film’s weaker moments (such as when it goes too heavily into borderline-meaningless dream sequences), she helps to keep the film watchable at the very least. Not only that, but Kikuchi’s performance also ensures continual investment in her character from the audience, even when so many of the film’s bold swings fail to pay off.

Josh Bate
Screen Rant

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! come out in theaters?
September 25, 2026 is the release date.
Is Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! (2026) family-friendly?
The movie has been rated as R, meaning that Under 17 requires an adult accompaniment.
How long is Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! (2026)?
The movie is 2hr 2min long.
What's Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! (2026) about?
Haru and Luis love competing in Tokyo's ballroom dance scene, but after tragedy strikes, Haru withdraws into isolation. When friends coax her back to the studio, she develops an infatuation with the new instructor.
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