Dirty Dancing (1987)

  

Catching up with the 80s…

For nearly 26 years Dirty Dancing had avoided my ever prowling movie eyes. I had been given the movie by a female classmate who felt this was one dance I had to take. Weeks went by, waiting for the right moment. I feared the amount of movies I have digested through the years would make me choke on a sappy romance revolved around dancing. Then on April 6^th 2011 the day had finally arrived. Without hesitation I grabbed the DVD and put it in the player. Music from the film played in the background as the various copyright warnings threatened to take me down should this movie be misused in any way, shape or form. I found myself sitting in the couch moving my shoulders to the music. Oh, boy! This is going to be an experience! But what kind of experience would it be?

I’m guessing just about everyone has seen this movie now. If you haven’t the story goes something like this: Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) and her family is spending the summer in a holiday camp. Baby has chosen her path here in life, but as she falls for handsome dance instructor Johnny (Patrick Swayze) things start happening. Will their romance be a short-lived affair or is this true love?

The basic story sounds simple enough and I would argue that it is. So is there any reason Dirty Dancing should stick out from so many others of its kind? Well, yes there is. Most of the different elements in the movie come together very well. What surprised me most was how watchable it was from beginning to end. There wasn’t really any moment that had me looking at the watch. I was always kept intrigued enough to wonder how further events would unfold.

My experience with Jennifer Grey extends to her role as Ferris’ bitchy sister in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Here she is given more leeway to showcase her talents as the somewhat reserved rich daughter. Her first encounter with the world of alternate dancing is quite funny. Clearly not in her regular environment she’s about as stiff as a corpse. Fortunately, there isn’t a very long way from this to a looser, more casual Jennifer smiling ever so big. Her turn from a more naïve existence to growing up, all in the course of three weeks(!), makes for a fun and surprisingly poignant viewing. That last line sounded slightly pompous. I’ll rephrase: Jennifer’s ideals are put to the test as she comes to terms with whom she is and who she wants to be.

As for Patrick Swayze, he has never looked slicker, but for my money the epitome of cool is still his portrayal of Bodhi in Point Break. I have no problem accepting that he instantly became a teen heartthrob through Dirty Dancing though. His dance moves are quite impressive and the acting balances nicely between so cool he can walk around with sunglasses at night to slightly more cheesy “I’m just a..”. It’s interesting to see a guy that seems so sure of himself dealing with the harsher realities of life. But on the dance floor, nobody can touch him! I think that’s were at least part of Johnny’s strength comes from. This is also what makes it all the more frustrating to see the management not acknowledging and utilizing his talents. Of course this is a part of the never ending struggle between the old and the new.

Love is in the air. Infectious chemistry.

I’ll admit it. I bought the chemistry between our two leads. They complement and give each other strength. One scene that struck me as particularly great is when Baby responds to Johnny’s claim that she is brave: “Me? I'm scared of everything. I'm scared of what I saw, I'm scared of what I did, of who I am, and most of all I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you.” Yes, growing up isn’t easy and neither is adult life, but that’s another story. It shines through how her very core has been rocked and makes the audience long for that sappy, happy ending. Despite that it all may sound a bit melodramatic Dirty Dancing capably balances it with warm endearing humor. It’s rarely laugh-out-loud kind of stuff, but the ability to regularly lure a genuine smile out of you is praise worthy.

Now, it has to be said that I have a severe weakness for 80s movies. Even when those movies portray a different time, like in this case the 60s. There is just something about how they made films then. They feel more spirited. This may have affected my judgment here. One of the many treats for me was finally having scenes to go with all those songs I’ve heard growing up. I wouldn’t say I’ve had "The Time of My Life" as the title track suggests, but it was still an immensely enjoyable affair! It managed to appeal to the romantic in me, without feeling cold and calculating. That’s a BIG complement coming from me. It’s great to be reminded that I am perhaps not quite as cynical a movie lover after all.

8/10