Frankie Valli said it best

Rating: 8/10 (28 September 2012)

In the grand scheme of Broadway musicals turned films, the one everyone seems to know is the 1978 adaptation of Grease. It has proved itself timeless with its over-the-top portrayal of 50's culture and hilariously broad performances by its two wonderful leads. It may not be the best musical, you'll be hard-pressed to find a film wackier, more enjoyable, and more subversive than the 1975 cult musical which I believe doesn't need to be named, but for a film that works mostly on its own terms, it's flyweight and easy to love.
John Travolta, always a charming, energetic actor, plays Danny, the kid at the school who sports black leather, jeans, and greasy, slicked-back black hair affirming his style and attitude. Singer Olivia Newton-John plays Sandy, a good girl with hair of gold. We see the two say a long goodbye on the beach after a summer of clear passion and enjoyment disintegrates into distant memories as Sandy must return to Australia.
Cue the wonderfully animated title cards with the Frankie Valli song we all know and we are at Rydell High School, the school where people wear their social cliques and popularity status like a brand new leather coat. It comes as a surprise to us and to the characters that Sandy has switches to RHS, and, after a fabulous "Summer Nights" dance number, this discover their newfound romance can continue. Well, in a perfect world that is, and that would not be the case.
Danny Doesn't want to risk his astronomical reputation as a bad boy just so he can date some goody-two shoes girl. He provokes her and her friends to impress his, but we can see he doesn't mean what he says. The rest of the pictures involves the two desperately trying to express their love for each other and singing whenever they get the chance.
Like many musicals, the exposition is rather slim, while the production values and the performance of the songs are put ,more into focus. This isn't a bad thing, but after a catchy music number returning to mildly interesting setups can be an abrupt, awkward change at first. Thankfully, the film knows how to punctuate its antics.
The film's charm mainly comes from Travolta, who delivers energy and dominance in limitless quantities. He seems fully comfortable when he needs to be, mainly during the songs, and totally capable and reliable as the person at the wheel during the scenes in between the singing and dancing. He is only made better by Olivia Newton-John, whose smile and personality go a long way in the picture.
As far as films go, this isn't a very great one. It's choppy and so sweet it causes cavities and puts the viewer at risk for diabetes (face it, I like John Waters' Cry-Baby, the even more self-aware parody a bit more than this). As far as musicals go and as far as cheery camp goes, Grease shines through it all, completely showing its viewer just why it has been loved for so many years. It may not have the grand amount of depth I crave when I watch films, but its production values, charismatic leads, and infectious song and dance numbers provide it with enough substantial entertainment value.
Starring: John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, and Stockard Channing. Directed by: Randal Kleiser.