Dirty Dancing

Name: Dirty Dancing
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: August 25, 1987
Duration: 100 min
Rating: 65
Cast: Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze

1987

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 68 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 68 Ratings

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DIRTY DANCING

Movie Details & Credits

Vestron Pictures | Release Date: August 25, 1987

Starring: Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze

Summary: A young girl (Grey) vacationing with her parents in the conservative Catskills falls for the hotel's maverick dance instructor (Swayze).

Director: Emile Ardolino

Genre(s): Drama, Romance

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 100 min

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Awards & Rankings

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Critic Reviews

Los Angeles Times - Sheila Benson

Smart and funny, touching and unabashedly sensual... the sweet sleeper of a hot season. [21 Aug 1987]

The New York Times - Vincent Canby

The dancing itself, especially the dirty dancing, choreographed by Kenny Ortega, looks very contemporary, or, at least, as contemporary as "Saturday Night Fever," but it has a drive and a pulse that give the filim real excitement. [21 Aug 1987, p.C3]

L.A. Weekly - F. X. Feeney

Above all, you've got Jennifer Grey, as a rich girl summering in the Catskills and falling for her working-class dance instructor, played by Patrick Swayze. The chemistry between them is red-hot, and they're wonderful dancers. Read full review

Variety - Staff (Not Credited)

Good production values, some nice dance sequences and a likable performance by Grey make the film more than watchable, especially for those acquainted with the Jewish tribal mating rituals that go on in the Catskill Mountain resorts. Read full review

Chicago Reader - Jonathan Rosenbaum

Before the movie collapses into the utopian nonsense that seems obligatory to this subgenre, a surprising amount of sensitivity and satirical insight emerges from Eleanor Bergstein's script and Emile Ardolino's direction. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine - Sandra Contreras

One problem with the film is that it does nothing to endear the Catskill social setting to an audience; the inhabitants seem to be competing for awards in obnoxiousness. Read full review

Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert

The filmmakers rely so heavily on cliches, on stock characters in old situations, that it's as if they never really had any confidence in their performers. Read full review

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User Reviews

Poland99

Nov 27, 2016

"Rammstein makes coollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Garfielduk

Dec 3, 2017

The iconic movie of the 80's, if not of all time. The idiot critic that gave it 50/100 is out of touch and has no feelings obviously, watched it more than a dozen times and every time is brilliant

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Kadeemluvmusic

Nov 25, 2012

Damn, it's been 25 years since Dirty Dancing was released. Maybe I could really dance to Jennifer Grey's victory on Season 10 of Dancing With the Stars right about now. And I hope Patrick Swayze is sending big smiles in heaven and reunite with Grey one last time. I miss the 80's, what a great film.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

beingryanjude

Sep 2, 2014

There's a reason that Dirty Dancing is still referenced today--it's classic, filled with inspirational performances, dancing and joyous music. Dancing films were a-plenty in the 1980s, but few will be remembered alongside Dirty Dancing.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FanBoyCritic1

Mar 24, 2016

Dirty Dancing(1987)
Starring: Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes, Jack Weston, Jane Brucker, Kelly Bishop, Loony Price, Max Cantor, Alvin Myerovich, and Paula Trueman
Directed By: Emile Ardolino Review HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE Hello Kiddies your pal the cupidDirty Dancing(1987)
Starring: Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes, Jack Weston, Jane Brucker, Kelly Bishop, Loony Price, Max Cantor, Alvin Myerovich, and Paula Trueman
Directed By: Emile Ardolino
Review
HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE
Hello Kiddies your pal the cupid critic here with one of the most pop cultural hits of the 80s, that I keep mistaking for Footloose which I have not seen.
The Summer of 2963... Innocent 17-year old Baby(Grey) vacation's with her parents at a Catskill's resort. ne evening she is drawn to the staff quarters by stirring music. There she meets Johnny, the hotel dance instructor, who is as experienced as Baby is naïve. Baby soon becomes Johnny's pupil in dance and love.
Every time I see anyone dancing in this picture I feel like their having sex or are about to have sex because they move like there body's are intertwined and are like "Oh I want you" but when I see Baby and Johnny dancing it's a lot of fun. The film does shine with its incredible choreography I especially love those scenes where Baby and Johnny are doing the mambo. The film does achieve its primary goal for an energetic love number of dance.
Dirty Dancing is a great film. I give it a 3 and a half out of five.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FilipeNeto

Feb 19, 2018

Since ever the rich families sought to protect their children from marriages that could jeopardize their status and prestige. Baby Houseman is a girl whose parents expect a lot, but things go wrong when her family learns that she is in love with a dance instructor with humble origins andSince ever the rich families sought to protect their children from marriages that could jeopardize their status and prestige. Baby Houseman is a girl whose parents expect a lot, but things go wrong when her family learns that she is in love with a dance instructor with humble origins and dubious life. Directed by Emile Ardolino and with a screenplay by Eleanor Bergstein, it has Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles.

This is probably one of the most famous romantic movies of the eighties. Jennifer Grey was up to the challenge and did a good interpretation but, despite her talent and commitment, she ended up overshadowed by a huge Patrick Swayze. This film can be considered the best in the career of this actor that was, precisely, a dancer before beginning to play. It's undeniable that his taste for dancing and talent for gallant roles were essential to his performance, contributing a lot to make him a true "male sex symbol" at the time. The script itself doesn't bring anything new: rich girl meets poor boy and they fall in love, jealous people try to separate them, girl's family doesn't accept their love etc... We have seen this many times in film, theater or even in literature. Nevertheless, it's a story that works well and it's enriched by some interesting details that help to thicken the plot, as the situation around an illegal abortion that one of the characters has to do. In addition to the interpretation of Swayze, the most positive point of the film are the choreography's and an amazing and memorable soundtrack, marked by the songs "She's Like the Wind" and "I've Had The Time Of My Life". The latter can even be considered one of the most famous love songs of the eighties and won the Oscar and the Golden Globe for Best Original Song (1987).

Despite the time that has passed since it's release in the cinema, and Swayze himself has passed away however, this film continues to mean a lot to many people and to be a landmark of romantic cinema. Love overcomes barriers, and a good love story is always timeless.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SeamooseK

Sep 14, 2009

It sucks. I did not enjoy this movie. I might've liked it, if i could find any redeeming features. worst. movie. ever.

0 of 1 users found this helpful

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