Dirty Dancing (1987): A Romance that Knows No Boundaries
Rating: 7.3/10
Dirty Dancing, a classic coming-of-age story, is romantic and meaningful. However, the film also dives into an important discussion on class difference.
Highlights:
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Twist on a classic love story
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Well-depicted class dynamics
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Great music
Lowlights:
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A bit romantic
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No POC
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Johnny’s love isn’t believable
A classic romance film, Dirty Dancing is youthful, romantic, and inspiring. The story of Baby (Jennifer Grey) and Johnny (Patrick Swayze) will make you reminisce of summer love whether or not you have actually experienced it. Though the storyline does a good job of building up to Baby and Johnny’s romance, not allowing for an easy “love at first sight” relationship, Johnny’s feelings towards Baby aren't believable. Especially near the end of the movie when the two are supposed to be more in love than ever, you never see much more from Johnny than physical attraction. Baby, on the other hand, loves everyone fully. Somehow, her character manages to be completely compassionate while holding on to her independence and confidence. Baby isn’t a pushover yet is completely unselfish, and as a result the audience roots for her throughout the film. Though some characterizations of Baby are a bit trite, such as her dreams of joining the Peace Corps, they serve to demonstrate the wholeheartedness with which she lives her life. Considering her general ease of life I didn’t expect Baby to hold up to her standards under pressure, but she does, standing up to her father and maturing into an adult in the process. Dirty Dancing does a good job at presenting social issues between classes through other characters as well. From Penny’s surprise situation to the selfishness of the wealthy, Ivy-educated waiters, the film forces you to side with the lower-class. You see how the rich get away with their mistakes while the working-class are forced to suffer the consequences, and you even see character development in Baby’s father Dr. Jake Houseman (Jerry Orbach) to a less judgmental perspective thanks to her honesty and transparency. Overall, Dirty Dancing depicts a warm story of a beautiful summer Catskills love while injecting an interesting discussion of class difference.
Did you watch the movie? Do you want more? Check out Footloose or any other movie on the 80s Archive page. Footloose and Dirty Dancing are both 80s romances centered on dance, and if you enjoyed one you’re bound to enjoy the other!
Watch the trailer!
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986): A Fearless and Witty Classic
Rating: 8.0/10
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is hailed as a classic teenage film for a reason -- its ingenuity and wit work together perfectly to capture the daydreams of high school seniors wanting to live a little, all while proving that you need to "stop and look around once in a while" in order to avoid missing life.
Highlights:
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Creative mix of substance and fun
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Uniquely exaggerated characters
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Well-cast
Lowlights:
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A bit goofy at times
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Entirely impossible
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Makes you want to be Ferris
Ferris Bueller's Day Off presents a perspective often portrayed in movies but seldom so well-executed: that of a fearless male having the time of his life while easily dodging any and all challenges. It shines thanks to the work of director and writer John Hughes, who perfectly crafted Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) as an optimistic, confident boy with the ability to be fearless in a way that is somehow completely lovable. Though we should be, for some unexplainable reason we aren't annoyed by Ferris' pushiness with best friend Cameron Frye (Alan Ruck) or lies to his parents. Perhaps we envy Ferris' easy embrace of spontaneity or aspire to be more serendipitous, but either way both Broderick and Hughes are key in creating such a perfectly mischievous character. We even see the world through Ferris' eyes because of the adoration he compels -- sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey) is mean, principal Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) is unreasonable, and his parents are silly and naïve. Even secondary characters, such as girlfriend Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara), are well-created and complement Ferris. Especially compared to most women in movies around this time, Sloane has a carefully crafted personality and contributes more to the film than simply filling the role of Ferris' girlfriend. Although compared to Cameron she stands out slightly less, this is more of a credit to Cameron's own wacky personality. However, did the film get him completely right? The vehicle for the strongest character development, by the end of the film Cameron is a different man. Do we believe this? Could Cameron so easily let go of his rigid ways? Nevertheless, no matter how impossible the movie seems at times (and there are many examples), perhaps this isn't the point: after all, Ferris does teach us that every day is exactly what you make of it. Like he says, "life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
Did you watch the movie? Do you want more? Check out other movies on the 80s Archive page written by John Hughes like The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Pretty in Pink. All also set in high school and with familiar casts, you're bound to enjoy these classic films!
Watch the trailer!