Apple TV Plus has a heartwarming, crowd-pleasing movie that won big at the Sundance Film Festival, and no, we’re not talking about CODA, but rather Cha Cha Real Smooth. After the former won viewers over, including the Oscars, could Cha Cha Real Smooth become another hidden gem on the streaming service?
Cha Cha Real Smooth premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival back in January where it received strong buzz from critics and took home the Audience Award in the US Dramatic category; it was also a nominee for the festival’s Grand Jury Prize. It is now set to be one of the big titles that is part of Apple TV Plus' 2022 original movie lineup.
Here is everything else you need to know about Cha Cha Real Smooth?
When is the Cha Cha Real Smooth release date?
Cha Cha Real Smooth debuts on June 17 on Apple TV Plus and in select movie theaters.
This is a similar release strategy that CODA followed during its run up to and after its Best Picture win, but that has been a rare incident for Apple TV Plus’ library of original movies thus far.
It was also announced that Cha Cha Real Smooth is part of the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival lineup, taking place June 8-19, which falls right in line with the movie's debut on Apple TV Plus.
Cha Cha Real Smooth reviews
As evidenced by the hardware it took home, we know Cha Cha Real Smooth was beloved by the audiences at Sundance 2022, but what did the critics think? They really liked it too.
Cha Cha Real Smooth currently (as of June 15) has a score of 91% "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 75 on Metacritic, which safely puts it in the "Good" tier on the site.
What to Watch's Cha Cha Real Smooth review praised the movie for its charm and insight, particularly from star Dakota Johnson.
How to watch Cha Cha Real Smooth
Cha Cha Real Smooth is an Apple TV Plus movie, which means that anyone who is subscribed to the streaming service can watch the movie.
You don't have to be an Apple TV Plus subscriber to see Cha Cha Real Smooth though, as the movie is playing in movie theaters as well in both the US and UK on June 17. However, it is getting a limited release, so be sure to check sites like Fandango to see if and where it is playing near you.
Cha Cha Real Smooth rating
Cha Cha Real Smooth is rated "R" in the US; it is rated "15" in the UK.
How long is Cha Cha Real Smooth?
Cha Cha Real Smooth has a runtime of one hour and 47 minutes.
Cha Cha Real Smooth trailer
Apple TV Plus has released the trailer for Cha Cha Real Smooth. Watch it directly below:
Get to see some additional clips from the movie as well as quick interview clips with stars Dakota Johnson and Cooper Raiff (also the writer and director) right here:
What is the Cha Cha Real Smooth plot?
Here is the official synopsis of Cha Cha Real Smooth from Apple TV Plus:
"Fresh out of college and without a clear life path going forward, 22-year-old Andrew is stuck back at home with his family in New Jersey. But if there’s one thing that belongs on his nonexistent résumé, it’s how to get a party started, which lands him the perfect job of motivational dancing at the bar and bat mitzvahs for his younger brother’s classmates. When Andrew befriends a local mom, Domino, and her daughter, Lola, he finally discovers a future he wants — even if it might not be his own."
Who is in the Cha Cha Real Smooth cast?
Headlining the Cha Cha Real Smooth cast is the movie’s triple threat of a writer, director and leading man Cooper Raiff as Andrew and Dakota Johnson as Domino, the local mom that he forms a bond with.
While Raiff is an emerging talent who we’ll discuss a bit more below, Johnson has become an established presence in Hollywood. First breaking out with her role as Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise, Johnson has seen her star rise with roles in movies like Suspiria, Bad Times at the El Royale, The Peanut Butter Falcon and The Lost Daughter. Johnson is also serving as a producer on Cha Cha Real Smooth.
Other recognizable names in the cast include Leslie Mann (This Is 40, The Bubble) and Brad Garrett (Finding Nemo, Everybody Loves Raymond) as Andrew’s mom and stepdad. There’s also Raul Castillo (Army of the Dead) as Domino’s fiance Joseph and Odeya Rush (Lady Bird) as Andrew’s friend Macy.
A pair of newcomers also have big roles in Cha Cha Real Smooth, as Evan Assante plays Andrew’s younger brother, David, and Vanessa Burghardt plays Domino’s daughter Lola.
Who is the Cha Cha Real Smooth director?
As mentioned above, in addition to starring in the movie, Cooper Raiff is the writer and director. Cha Cha Real Smooth is Raiff’s third feature movie and while it is poised to be his biggest thanks to the Apple TV Plus pickup, he has been building his reputation on the movie festival circuit, particularly with his sophomore effort, Shithouse.
Following a lonely college freshman who forges a friendship with his RA, Shithouse won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2020 South by Southwest Film Festival and created some buzz for the young filmmaker.
Behind the camera, he is making the jump from movies to TV, co-writing and directing for the Amazon Studios project Exciting Times, which is an adaptation of Naoise Dolan’s book of the same name and will star Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor.
