Review: Dirty Dancing

Movie #62 - Dirty Dancing

Dirty Dancing is a classic film about Baby, a teenager who is vacationing for the summer at a resort with her family. She meets the dance instructor, Johnny, and falls head over heels for him. One problem: He's from the wrong side of the tracks, and is not supposed to be fraternizing with the resort guests. Baby finds herself in a tough spot when she discovers that one of the dancers is pregnant and wants to get an abortion. She gets a loan from her father, without her father knowing why he's dishing out the cash, and it lands her in even more trouble because the abortion goes wrong. Her father is forced to intervene, which means Baby is told not to see Johnny again. Being your typical teenager, Baby doesn't listen, and her relationship with Johnny grows stronger. In the end, Baby and Johnny convince her dad that Johnny is a good guy.

Dirty Dancing is a phenomenal movie. It focuses on a main character who only wants to do right by other people and accept others for who they really are instead of what they appear to be on the outside. It's your age-old story of boy meets girl - boy and girl are opposites and are not supposed to be together - they overcome the odds and end up happily ever after. This film, however, deals with stereotypes and hierarchy. The rich elite prance around all summer enjoying their mambo lessons and charades, while the poor staff members have to deal with real life situations and hardships. Even though that is how it really is in the world, Baby is the one character that defies the odds, and her family's wishes, and blurs the line between rich and poor. She manages to bring together to completely different sides of society in the matter of a summer. By the end of the film, the rich housewives are grinding  to "Time of My Life" with the help. It's great.

While watching it this time, however, I did have a few things that bugged me -

1) Why does Billy just automatically accept Baby into his world and not shun her like the rest of the staff? He could get fired over this, but it doesn't seem to phase him. Yet, EVERY other staff member is petrified of Kellerman, and refuses to mess with the guests. It's like him and Baby are BFFs right away. It's just odd to me. He even knows her name...did I miss the scene where they originally met? Because I'm pretty sure this was the first scene they were in together.

2) This isn't something that bugged me so much as something I noticed...and laughed at a bit. Baby dresses like a frumpy old woman for the first half of the film, but as soon as she gets the attention of Johnny, she starts dressing like a...woman? I guess. I was going to say hooker, but it's a fashionable, more dressed version of one...I guess.

It's amusing to me. How do her parents not notice this? And seriously, where is she getting her clothes? You know she didn't pack that stuff when she was planning for her fun-filled summer playing checkers with her family. Not only does she all of a sudden have these skimp(ier) outfits, she somehow finds a few pairs of tights and spandex pants and tops as well. 

Overall, Dirty dancing is a gem. It's truly fantastic.

I give Dirty Dancing 4.5 out of 5 stars.