Review of Dirty Dancing (1987) by Graham M — 24 Sep 2014

Set in the summer of 1963, Dirty Dancing is the story of Baby (Jennifer Grey), a 17-year-old girl who loves her daddy (Jerry Orbach) and wants to save the world, one starving Asian country at a time. While vacationing at a private summer resort with her family, Baby meets Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), a dance instructor who teaches the Pechanga by day and jives to his own beat at night. Baby is instantly attracted to the bad boy. However, the feeling is not mutual. Johnny is slightly annoyed by her. Baby proves herself to the other staffers and Johnny when she takes a risk to help out one of his friends, there begins a powerful, forbidden romance that must be hidden.

What makes Dirty Dancing work is that it isn't just about the romance - which is the main hip thrust of the plot, seems marginal in light of the larger message. The film takes stabs at the hypocrisy of the close-minded attitudes of each competing class. The low-income entertainment staff and the rich guests appear to be bound by their own societal vices: the former by their lack of opportunity to succeed, the latter by their judgmental need to keep up appearances. The characters show that the elite are all too happy to keep things the same and everyone else is too scared to change.

Writer Eleanor Bergstein also works hard to make sure that none of the main characters are two-dimensional. Each character has a life, an opinion, and reasons behind their actions. Johnny Castle knows his place in this world; he goes from eating juju beans to lobster and caviar in a mere months when it's time to dip, twirl and seduce the women of Kellerman's. He understands that he needs this job to survive or he will be working odd and end ones to barely make it. Unlike Baby's views on reality, which are almost childlike, his are crystal clear. Despite getting a harsh dose of reality, Baby believes that if you try hard enough, you can succeed at whatever you want to in life, which help the other characters see their full potential. This may seem like a minor point but so many romantic films forget to include a backbone. It helps that the cast does really good work. Despite they're not being any big name actors, each person feeds off of the other making for great chemistry.

The choreography (by Kenny Ortega) is really phenomenal! He does excellent work also working on High School Musical (2006) and many others! The moves during the actual dirty dancing sequences are sweaty, primal, and overtly sexual. The numbers between Swayze and Grey are pumped up with an unheard of sensual energy. You need a cold shower once the credits roll!

This isn't to say that the film is perfect. The romance between Baby and Johnny is a little TOO nice, and never gets weird. You never believe that their relationship is in any sort of real trouble despite nearly every other part of their lives crumbling and changing. The ending, while very romantic and passionate, does not clearly tie things up. You are allowed to figure out what is in store for Johnny and Baby.

However, there is a reason that this is a favorite everywhere and why it plays on cable nearly as much as The Breakfast Club or Pretty Woman - it tells a good story, and does it in a way that lends itself to repeat viewings. Dirty Dancing is a great movie that leaves you wanting more!