Dirty Dancing (1987)

Rating: 8/10 (29 September 2008)

The summer of 1963 at Kellerman's summer resort changed Baby Houseman's (Jennifer Grey) life forever. The Houseman family traveled to New York for a family vacation, and came home with a well-matured daughter and a closer relationship as a family. Dirty Dancing opens with the family driving through the mountains to their vacation destination. Upon arriving at the resort, the owner, Jack Weston, tries to put his matchmaking skills into practice and attempts to set up Baby, an ambitious, daddy's little girl who wants to join the Peace Corps, with his selfish, cocky grandson. Fortunately, Baby sees right past Mr. Weston's plan and discovers how much of a spoiled brat his grandson really is. Plus, she has her eyes on someone else and that is Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze), the best-looking and top dancer at the entire resort.
In search of adventure and a fun vacation, Baby discovers one night in the staff's dormitories a whole different world in contrast to that of the structured, resort atmosphere. Rock'n'roll music is blaring from the stereo and the entire staff is inside dancing in a way Baby had never seen before. This is the first night Johnny saw her. Initially, he does not care about her in the least, but he soon starts falling for her when Baby fills in for Johnny's dance partner, Penny, after she becomes pregnant and cannot dance. Complications from Penny's abortion cause Baby to ask her medical doctor dad to help Penny and he assumes it was Johnny's baby. Her dad forbids Baby from seeing Johnny, but do teenage girls listen to their parents? That answer is a clear "No." Baby continues seeing him, learning how to dance and falling more and more in love with him. Inevitably, turmoil occurs on several fronts. For the much anticipated last dance of the season, Johnny chooses Baby to be his partner. After all, as Johnny so aptly puts it, "No one puts Baby in a corner."
There are many cinematic, theatrical, and literary elements that enhance this movie. The director does a good job of casting Johnny as a "god-like" figure to Baby by using low angles when the camera is on him. This is especially noticeable at the beginning of the movie when Baby sees him as a powerful, strong, and untouchable being. In addition, Baby is cast in some high angles at the beginning of the movie, where she is portrayed to be an innocent, powerless daddy's girl. By the end of the movie, she breaks out of this role. In the dancing scenes, there are many close-up and medium shots that portray the emotion of the dancers about what they are doing and how they feel about each other. The set, at Kellerman's summer resort, is a perfect place. It is out away from the busy cities and allows the characters to interact with each other. The two main settings  the dance floor and the rest of the resort  allow the audience to see Baby's struggle of discovering herself. The dance floor can be a symbol of what Baby becomes at the end of the movie, a strong-willed, free-spirited young lady, while the rest of the resort can be the symbol of the life that Baby is leaving behind. The resort represents Baby's innocence and her sheltered life.
The summer of 1963 changed Baby's life forever. She became a mature young lady in the setting of her former innocent, sheltered world. Dirty Dancing portrays the trials and tribulations that every girl faces while growing up and becoming her own person. Although this movie is predictable in its conclusion, I personally love watching it whenever possible. I highly suggest it for any young girl dreaming of what she will become as she grows up.