Cert 12A
96 mins
BBFC advice: Contains moderate sex references
This summer's Secret Cinema event gave mums a chance to catch up on one of their favourite films and possibly introduce new generations to it.
One pronounced on Twitter that she had watched Emile Ardolino's Dirty Dancing scores of times but it still made her cry.
Forgive me for not being carried away on the same tide of emotion.
I thought it was important that I didn't just present the view of a beer-swilling footy fan so I took in Dirty Dancing with Mrs W.
The old gal won't mind me stating that she isn't much of a romantic (who would be with a husband like me?) and I have to report that it failed to hit her tender spot.
Dirty Dancing was a phenomenon when it was released in 1987 and has continued to accrue fans over the following 29 years,
Surprisingly, it was brand new to us and we were agreed that, of the genre, Hairspray trounces it.
It's not that it is bad - the dance scenes are the epitome of lithe and Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze are screen eye candy.
My difficulty was that the movie's plot is thin - young girl (Grey) goes to summer retreat, falls for bad boy dancer (Swayze) who really has a heart of gold all along.
Once we have thrown in a well-meaning but misunderstanding dad (Jerry Orbach), a carelessly pregnant young woman (Cynthia Rhodes) and a belligerent big sister (Jane Brucker), pretty much all of the parts are in place.
It throws up a clutch of moral dilemmas but they are far too easily resolved and I could not grasp why a movie set in 1963 should have a soundtrack which, albeit catchy, is so firmly set in the 1980s.
But it is light viewing and by its end we were singing along to Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes just as I imagine those who attended Secret Cinema did.
Reasons to watch: one of the most famous films of the 1980s
Reasons to avoid: struggles to pass the test of time
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 6.5/10
Star tweet
Lindsey KelkIs it weird that my entire adult wardrobe is inspired by Baby Houseman and until today, I never realized? #DirtyDancing
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