Dirty Dancing

Dirty Dancing

1987, PG-13, 100 min. Directed by Emile Ardolino. Starring Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jack Weston, Cynthia Rhodes, Jerry Orbach.

REVIEWED By Marjorie Baumgarten, Fri., Sept. 19, 1997

This is one of those re-releases that probably belongs in the "Who Asked for a Rerun Anyway?" file. But, still, I have to admit to feeling some dangerously warm fuzzies for this 1987 movie that's set in a Catskill resort during the summer of 1963 (the summer before all Americans lost their collective innocence). Dirty Dancing is the story of a 17-year-old Jewish girl named Baby (Grey), who loses her figurative innocence during this fateful Borscht Belt vacation with her family. She comes to the aid of one of the female dancers at the resort who's in need of an illegal abortion, and she learns intriguing new dance positions from hunky instructor Johnny (Swayze). It's a corny fairy tale about a princess who emerges from her protective isolation and, naturally, falls for a boy who spells "big trouble." But 'neath its candy-coated shell lie several solid grains of truth -- not to mention some fab choreography, a solid-gold title, and a couple of pristine examples (in Swayze and Grey) of what is meant by the term "career-making performance."

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

Support the Chronicle  

READ MORE
More Emile Ardolino Films
Sister Act
A high concept comedy so pleasurable it's sinful, Sister Act calls for some rejoicing this summer movie season. Despite its predictability and sappiness, this conventional ...

Steve Davis, May 29, 1992

Dirty Dancing Mother's Day Brunch
...

March 31, 2023

More by Marjorie Baumgarten
All That Breathes
The struggle by three men to save the endangered black kite

March 31, 2023

SXSW Film Review: <i>Joy Ride</i>
Film Review: Joy Ride
Groundbreaking comedy doesn't break the raunchy mold

March 19, 2023

KEYWORDS FOR THIS FILM

Dirty Dancing, Emile Ardolino, Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jack Weston, Cynthia Rhodes, Jerry Orbach

MORE IN THE ARCHIVES
HONK!TX
Central Machine Works, 4824 E. Cesar Chavez; Mueller Lake Park, 4550 Mueller Blvd.; Pan Am Park, 2100 E. Third
Arya [inside]
at Stubb's
Metamorphosis Dance: The Red Shoes at Dougherty Arts Center
NEWSLETTERS
One click gets you all the newsletters listed below

Breaking news, arts coverage, and daily events

Can't keep up with happenings around town? We can help.

Austin's queerest news and events

Eric Goodman's Austin FC column, other soccer news

All questions answered (satisfaction not guaranteed)

Information is power. Support the free press, so we can support Austin.   Support the Chronicle