What it's about:
A teenage girl, on summer vacation in the early sixties in the Catskill Mountains, falls in love with an older dance instructor. She's Jewish and not quite cute enough to be considered pretty; her older sister gets most of her parents' praise and attention, while she is overprotected and discouraged from growing up and becoming her own person. He's working class, so he's obviously not good enough to be with a doctor's daughter. Plus, he's got a reputation for being a little too friendly with his middle-aged female dance clients. They overcome the disapproval of both their social groups, fall in love with each other, and get to bring down the house with the final dance of the year.
Why it's worth watching:
It's a story about two underdogs falling in love with each other. Both of the main characters, Baby (Jennifer Grey) and Johnny (Patrick Swayze) have to overcome not only the disapproval of the other side (her father, his friends) but also the pressure and expectations of who they are. She's supposed to marry higher than her social class, while he is expected to know his place and stay there. All they want to do is to be who they are, but peer pressure and societal expectations work against them every step of the way. It's a good social message, especially set in the early sixties, on the cusp of the civil rights and women's rights movements. It's got a great soundtrack filled with classic pop hits from the fifties and sixties, and the dancing is top-notch throughout.
What's in it for her?
Patrick Swayze dancing with his shirt off, for starters, but that's just the whipped cream on top. This is the realization of every young girl's romantic fantasy, that she'll go off for vacation with her family and fall in love with a good guy with a bit of a bad streak (reputation bad, not cooking meth bad) who will encourage her to do all the things she really wants to do (but her father won't let her), all the while sweeping her off her feet on the dance floor. It's Cinderella meets Romeo and Juliet in real life. I've never met a woman who didn't love this movie. Getting to watch this on Valentine's Day would be a wonderful gift for her.
What's in it for him?
Dude, did you read the previous paragraph? Choosing to watch this movie with her is the cinematic/romantic equivalent of two dozen red roses and a box of Godiva chocolates. She will think you hung the moon for her if watching this film is your idea. Plus, let's be honest about this...you know you've forced her to watch all the Star Wars (or Star Trek, or Avengers, or Monty Python) movies in your collection—you OWE her this one. Give it a try, at least. The movie is easy to watch compared to most other "chick flicks," and the rewards will be worth the effort.
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