Corny and phony.

Rating: 4/10 (11 December 1999)

There are a few positive things I can say about "Dirty Dancing": some of the dance sequences are indeed impressive, a few even have an undeniable erotic tension. The actors are generally convincing, the production values good and the film moves along at an agreeably fast pace - you're never bored. Still, this film is mostly AWFUL. There isn't ONE character that doesn't behave like a complete stereotype, there isn't ONE plot development that you can't predict about ten minutes before it appears onscreen. According to this film's naive, extremely corny vision, people can change and learn all the basic human values (and how to dance like professionals) within a few days. At the end, after the obligatory apologies, explanations and confessions, everybody is happy and everything is solved. Stuck with a predictable, by-the-numbers script, the director makes a watchable, even entertaining at times film, and Swayze with Grey have a genuine chemistry together, and the music is great, but this film is so sappy that only the most undemanding viewers can possibly like it. Really corny.