Stream It or Skip It: ‘The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango’ on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Casts Lacey Chabert as a Sleuth with Moves

Hallmark’s The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango asks the question, “Wanna go to Malta?” If your answer is “yes, but only if it costs me zero dollars and I get to hang out with Lacey Chabert,” then this mystery movie is for you. Chabert co-stars with Will Kemp in this caper involving the murder of a ballroom company CEO and a growing list of suspects. But does The Dancing Detective have two left feet or does it really know how to get down?

THE DANCING DETECTIVE: A DEADLY TANGO: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Lacey Chabert (Haul Out the Holly) stars as police detective Constance Bailey, a stickler for the rules who has a hard time playing well with others. All that will have to change, however, when she’s assigned to solve the mysterious murder. The victim: the CEO of Aston International, a major ballroom dancing company! And the CEO was murdered mere days before an annual event where the employees get all dressed up and compete in their own ballroom competition extravaganza. To crack the case, Detective Bailey must go undercover… deep undercover.

That means that Constance has to not only pose as a new employee at Aston, she also has to pose as an expert ballroom dancer. Luckily she will have ballroom instructor Sebastian (The Princess Switch 3’s Will Kemp) by her side posing as her husband. What could go wrong? Well, Sebastian, a former actor, could look at this undercover role as an opportunity to scratch his performance itch. And with the list of suspects growing with every new executive they meet, Constance is going to need to stay focused on the case and not get distracted by the British hunk she’s dancing with. There is a murder and potential corporate takeover to deal with!

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: The in-over-her-head nature of this undercover mission, one set in high society, reminded me of Miss Congeniality. And the exotic locale and unlikely team-up gave me a little bit of Paul Feig’s Spy.

Performance Worth Watching: Lacey Chabert is great, of course, but this movie really is a vehicle for Will Kemp to just go ham. He takes big swings, whether he’s dancing like Hugh Grant in Love, Actually or running through a lineup of extreme accents, and they’re always a home run.

Memorable Dialogue: Upon first meeting Detective Bailey, Sebastian can’t help but try to impress her. “Detective! Oh, I love detectives, yes. Aunt Vera and I watched them all: Starsky and Hutch, Miss Marple, Perry Mason, yes. I even played a detective. I’m kind of a detective expert actually.” Detective Bailey’s response: “Oh, that’s great, Columbo, but I just need a really quick dance lesson.”

Our Take: So far 2023 has given us mystery-solvers who cook, sing, and now dance — and I really have no complaints. Hallmark’s mystery slate this year has been incredibly solid, either continuing or launching potential new franchises — and The Dancing Detective is another win. It doesn’t hurt that the film is led by Lacey Chabert, the reigning Queen of Hallmark. It also doesn’t hurt that it reteams her with frequent leading man Will Kemp, who is so clearly having a blast in this role.

Chabert and Kemp have developed a natural, fast-paced chemistry that allows for them to really rattle off some hilariously entertaining back-and-forths in this movie. They have a simmering romantic chemistry, sure, but their onscreen connection feels deeper than that from the start. I particularly love that while Sebastian can very much be a blowhard, he’s also a natural reader of body language. It’s a smart move that makes him even more of an asset to Bailey and makes their dynamic feel all the richer.

Speaking of rich — this movie had the budget. We get an international location, lots of extras in formal attire, and a car chase through the tiny side streets of Malta with Chabert and Kemp on matching scooters. It also delivers on the romance, particularly in — what else? — a scene where Sebastian teaches Constance how to tango, ankle deep in a pool of water and set against the sun. It’s one of the most visually striking scenes you’ll see in a Hallmark movie this year.

Put all of those elements together with an incredibly confident script — one that really explores both characters, their evolving relationship, and the central mystery — and you’ve got another fun franchise (fingers crossed) that Hallmark can take out for a spin every year.

Our Call: STREAM IT. The Dancing Detective: A Deadly Tango is a twisty turny mystery that you’ll want to see through to the end.