Dirty Dancing: A belated review

A naive, idealistic girl goes on vacation to the mountains with her family. Over the course of a couple weeks, or two hours, she loses her naivete and her idealism but gains her womanhood and wisdom to continue her original goal of making the world a better place to live.

This is made in a classic "good girl meets bad boy" mold. Baby, in all her innocent purity, meets Johnny and his circle of friends. As Johnny begins sullying her good name, Baby does everything she can in her innocence to aid a girl in need.

Baby learns how to dance sugggestively with a partner, by early-1960s standards, for her own benefit and for the benefit of Johnny's friends. Of course, Baby is inthralled with Johnny but Johhny doesn't actually know she exists. Johnny and the "rockette" have some sort of intriguing platonic relationship going on, and, over the course of the movie, the "rockette" is found to have gotten herself "in trouble." Baby, in her naive idealistic manner, confronts the boy who got the "rockette" in trouble. And he, much to Baby's dismay, blames the "rockette."

The ensuing events provide insight into Baby's desire to aid the less fortunate and her purifying effect on Johnny. The issues Baby's father provides adds to the antagonist factor of the movie.

In the end, Baby becomes a complex woman with high, yet mildly sullied morals. Johnny learns he can become more than he is. Baby's father realizes his daughter's foibles are not so catastrophic and shows great respect for not only his daughter but for Johnny as well.

Movie error note: There is a scene where this movie, set in the 1960s, uses a much more modern license plate.

Watch the "car burns gravel" scene.

For the men who get suckered into watching this movie, you can't beat some of that dancing you will see. There is also a mildly interesting fight scene.

I give this 4.5 dates and 1.5 biceps.