2685. Girl Walk // All Day (2011)

Starring: Anne Marsen, Daisuke Omiya, John Doyle

Director: Jacob Krupnick

Running Time: 75 mins

Girl Walk // All Day is an American film following a day in the life of a girl as she dances across New York City, encountering all sorts of people and encouraging those she meets to dance and share in her joy.

I don’t think a movie has ever made me smile quite as much as this one. Girl Walk // All Day may have the often daunting tag of an ‘experimental’ film, but it proves that subverting expectations and going against the curve doesn’t have to be difficult. With a purely joyful, uplifting and positive mentality, along with energetic and enthusiastic passion from all involved, the film proves to be an immensely enjoyable watch throughout, turning what could have been so easily a boring premise into something really very special.

First things first, it’s best to explain what this movie actually is. On the face of things, Girl Walk // All Day fits the ‘experimental’ tag really quite well: it’s a self-styled 75 minute-long music video that features no dialogue, instead telling a story through the medium interpretive, expressive dance and non-stop music. It’s a simple tale – the day of a girl galloping through New York City, meeting a handsome gentleman, being followed by a ‘creep’, and coming across all sorts of people along the way – but this film delivers that with such irresistible energy and positivity that’s impossible to avoid loving.

There is so, so much to love about this movie, and that speaks volumes for something so short and so wonderfully simple. It is unorthodox and experimental as far as film conventions go, but it subverts your expectations of what an experimental movie can be by bringing deliriously happy energy to the table, jumping and leaping at every opportunity to brighten your day and make you smile, as well as to get you caught up in the relentless rhythm and excitement of non-stop music and dance.

The film’s relentless positivity is absolutely delightful, but it would be nothing without the music and dance. Playing along to a non-stop soundtrack, the movie flows and flutters wonderfully from beginning to end, with ingenious and exhilarating music mixing that blends a fast-paced hip hop/dance track with contemporary and classic pop hits, meaning that there’s something to enjoy for viewers of all musical tastes.

With such pace and energy in the music, the non-stop dancing is all the more enjoyable, and you can sing and tap your toes along to your favourite pop hits, only further endearing you to everything this film has to say, and bringing you closer and closer to its unstoppable glee and positivity for life, dance and people.

If there were a film that I could recommend as a cure for cynicism, it would absolutely be this one. Such delirious positivity may sound cheesy, but Girl Walk // All Day immediately does away with any of those worries by wrapping you up in a whirlwind of energy and excitement, proving to be an irresistible rollercoaster of uplifting entertainment right from the beginning to the very end.

Even New York City, a place characterised by so many films in the past by its gritty, cold and non-stop hustle, is given a new lease of life on screen by this film. In keeping with the movie’s endless positivity, the city appears vibrant, happy and inclusive, and as much as everyday people may try to resist getting involved with the fun and dance, the pure joy and genuine earnestness of this film brings even the coldest hearts round.

With a gorgeous lead performance from Anne Marsen, who’s full of smiles and great dancing right the way through, as well as entertaining supporting appearances from Daisuke Omiya and John Doyle, it’s a true pleasure to spend just over an hour dancing and singing with this film.

Bringing together a non-stop, vibrant energy that’s reminiscent of Run Lola Run, the glee and passion for music and dance of La La Land, and its own, unique worldview, Girl Walk // All Day is as special as modern cinema gets, and will likely stand as one of the brightest, most original, enthusiastic, energising and enjoyable films you’ll ever see, and that’s why I’m giving it an 8.6 overall.