Used to be a lot funnier...

Rating: 7/10 (10 August 2002)

I first saw this film when I was 10 years old, and loved it. As I watch it today it makes me realize that there were a lot of things I enjoyed more as a 10 year old; like jumping rope or building sand castles. This is not to say that Grease is a drag, quite the opposite in many ways it's a charming movie.
The songs are catchy and the choreography is very nicely done. They've also managed to pick out a team of actors that work well together, playing off each other superbly. So what's missing?
In the simplest term; decency. All the characters are more or less shallow and are possibly the OLDEST high schoolers I've ever laid eyes upon (and I've seen Beverly Hills 90210). That's the first mistake, the second is that everything is so stereotyped. Rizzo = slut. Kenickie = height of cool and very aware of it too. Jan = the chubster (where?). Frenchy = loveable ditz with heart of gold. Danny = cool guy but really a big softy. Sandy = scared, meak girl far away from home. These elements are portrayed immensely and get old really, really fast.
Then of course the old clichés start kicking in. (SPOILER warning) Boy likes girl. Boy is tough, girl is not. Boy's friends don't approve. Boy acts like an idiot and looses girl. Girl decides to change her life just so she can be with boy. This, sadly, is a pretty accurate description of Grease. I do realize that it takes place in America in the 50's and that attitudes were different then than they are now. Still I can't see it without thinking how awfully dated this story is.
Leaving the dating aside, the movie is very well made and flows easily between the different stories. And my, my, my is John Travolta dreamy! ;)
Final rating: 6 / 10