The first foray into adulthood has always been a fraught time for human beings and our current generation of young adults are no different. The latest film from writer/director/actor Cooper Raiff takes a tender look at a young man trying to find himself. Cha Cha Real Smooth finds us alongside 22-year-old college grad Andrew (Cooper Raiff) who despite his diploma, has yet to find a clear path in life so he returns to his mother’s home in New Jersey. Andrew is the life of the party and applies that to a low paying gig working as a DJ at parties and bat mitzvahs. While working, Andrew befriends local mom Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her autistic daughter Lola (Vanessa Burghardt). The connection between he and Domino causes him to wonder if he has finally found a future he wants.
Cha Cha Real Smooth is the quintessential tale of a journey of self-discovery. Andrew is a young man trying to figure out his first step onto the path of adulthood, unsure of where to go and weary of what may be waiting for him along the path. This character written by Cooper Raiff feels very true to life and an accurate portrayal of late millennials and early Gen Zers who while of age physically, still inhabit a grey area between late stage teenager and young adult. The accuracy in depiction and writing results in a portrayal that is simultaneously frustrating and sympathetic, buoyed by Raiff’s quality performance onscreen that captures the complexity of what it means to be a young person searching for themselves.
Lest the film get too stereotypical, Andrew spends the film intertwined with a twin flame from a generation ahead of himself in Domino who is also at a crossroads in her life, albeit in an entirely different situation as a mother of a differently abled child and a husband who frequently travels. She and Andrew are drawn to each other because both are fearful of taking their next step and have found in each other solace and eventually clarity about where to go. While the film does flirt with a romantic connection between the two (as do Andrew and Domino themselves), what makes their relationship work is the fact that it is based on the uncertainty both have the need to find comfort in it with someone else, rather than sexual tension. Navigating life’s travails while having the counsel of someone who has or is going through something similar gives the relationship between Andrew and Domino resonance and enough heft to make the film interesting.
Cha Cha Real Smooth is a sweet, heartfelt, charming, and genuine film not only in its writing but personified through the characters we see onscreen. Raiff’s Andrew is funny and caring in a way that makes you root for him and makes the connection between his immature early 20s character and Domino’s married 30-plus year old character seem natural and logical. A big part of this is the interaction between Andrew and Lola, sweetly and effectively played by Burghardt. The actress portrays Lola in a heartfelt and earnest way making her one of the sweetest in the ensemble. The interactions between she and Andrew are simultaneously funny and emotionally effective, much like the film itself. Cha Cha Real Smooth is funny and a quality tale of how scary it can be to go where life takes you, but how easier it is to navigate when you have a friend.
Image: Apple TV+
