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45
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71
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67
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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
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86
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44
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65
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59
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74
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43
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69
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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed movies.
Flashdance

Generally unfavorable reviews
Based on 9 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 1 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info
Genre(s): Drama | Musical | Romance
Written by:
Thomas Hedley Jr. (and story)
Joe Eszterhas
Directed by: Adrian Lyne
Release Date:
Theatrical: April 15, 1983
DVD: October 8, 2002
Running Time: 95 minutes, Color
Origin: USA
Summary
RATING: R for restricted, under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian
Starring Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri, Lilia Skala, Sunny Johnson, Kyle T. Heffner, Lee Ving, Ron Karabatsos, and Belinda Bauer
Flashdance is the story of Alex Owens, a fiercely determined and beautiful 18-year-old woman, who works as a welder by day and dancer at a local bar at night. The film sparkles with the music of the '80s including the No.1 hit song sung by Irene Cara ("Flashdance-What A Feeling") and "Maniac" sung by Michael Sembello. We follow Alex's struggle to gain independence, find love, and realize her dream-to dance at the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance. (Paramount Pictures)
Also On Metacritic
FILM: Fatal Attraction Indecent Proposal Jacob's Ladder Lolita Nine 1/2 Weeks Unfaithful
Also On The Web: Internet Movie Database
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Boston Globe Jay Carr
Flashdance makes liberal use of jump cuts, strobe lighting and hard-edged, post-punk chic in its dance sequences, it registers as the end product of energy being released by an essentially lyrical temperament. It charms us, makes us want to refrain from scrutinizing it too closely. [31 Jul 1983, p.1]
The New York Times Janet Maslin
With a score by Giorgio Moroder, and with ingenious costumes that are utterly au courant, Flashdance contains such dynamic dance scenes that it's a pity there's a story here to bog them down.
Read Full Review >Variety Staff (Not Credited)
Watching Flashdance is pretty much like looking at MTV for 96 minutes. Virtually plotless, exceedingly thin on characterization and sociologically laughable, pic at least lives up to its title by offering an anthology of extraordinarily flashy dance numbers.
Read Full Review >Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum
Glitz with no mind and lots of fancy visuals, edited with a pounding beat.
Read Full Review >The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Stephen Godfrey
Cranked up at double speed, the plot of Flashdance could almost be a satirical fantasy about dance students. Although Flashdance doesn't admit it's a fantasy, neither does it succeed in looking realistic. [16 Apr 1983, p.E5]
Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
If Flashdance had spent just a little more effort getting to know the heroine of its story, and a little less time trying to rip off "Saturday Night Fever," it might have been a much better film.
Read Full Review >Christian Science Monitor Staff (Not Credited)
Punchy, cleverly stylized, but utterly empty yarn about a feisty young woman who welds by day, disco-dances by night, and dreams of the day when she can devote her life to her art.
Read Full Review >Time Richard Corliss
Like Saturday Night Fever and, for that matter, the Rocky films, Flashdance has made it big by taking experiences of black youths and playing them in whiteface. But unlike its grittily romantic predecessors, Flashdance is pure glitz.
Read Full Review >TV Guide Staff (Not Credited)
Although the "story" is almost wholly without depth or plausibility, it's carried off with great style.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this movie is 3.0 (out of 10) based on 1 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
[Anonymous] gave it a3:
An extended music video with about three minutes of plot. Flashy but not trashy.
