A lot better than you'd think... (*a couple of spoilers within*)

Rating: Null/10 (2 March 2003)

There are some people who, at the mere mention of the words "Saturday Night Fever" giggle or smirk or give you a "You actually watch that movie?" look as if it's a piece of celluloid which people only took seriously from 1977 to 1979. Most of the people who have that attitude either have never sat down to watch the whole movie (these people probably think Travolta wore the white suit throughout all 120 minutes of the film and think that the whole thing took place inside the discotheque), or they've never seen the movie at all and have relied on what others say, or they just loathe disco music (and for these latter people, there's not much that can be done).
But if you look at the movie in its entirety--the R rated version, preferably (the PG version is too watered down and isn't the Real Thing)--you will be surprised at just how genuinely involving and worthy the movie is.
You will also be surprised by how great Travolta is. Yes, he plays a character similar to his Vinnie Barbarino TV character in that both are Italian, working-class, and native to Brooklyn, but the similarities end there. While Barbarino is shallow and awkwardly cool, Tony Manero is deep and smoothly hip; while Barbarino is happy-go-lucky, Manero is seriously troubled and doubtful about many things; while Barbarino is dim-witted, Manero is not only street-smart but also people-smart: he sees right through his dance partner Stephanie's refined veneer, and through his father's superior facade.
The point here is that Travolta proved in "SNF" that he's the Real Deal--not just a pretty face or a good dancer or a comic actor but an ACTOR, period. And the Oscar nomination he received for his performance is evidence of that. I personally don't think Travolta has given a performance since then which is as consistently on-target, nuanced, and powerful as the one he gives in this movie (and yes, I'm including "Pulp Fiction" when I make that statement).
I won't say much about the music because everybody knows by now how great and attention-grabbing it is. But what doesn't get as much credit are the movie's director and story. John Badham nicely captures the energy of the disco, especially in the Line-Dancing/Hustle scene at the half-hour point: he gives the scene a dreamy quality complete with camera Dissolves and smoke, and he's not afraid to take his time and let the scene play on. Anyone who's ever been on the dance floor knows that sensation: the feeling that time has stopped and all that exists are you and the music.
Many people have said that the movie's weakest aspect is its story. They say it's unnecessarily sordid, ugly, and disturbing. In fact, the movie's original choice for director--another John- John G. Avildsen--declined to do the film because he felt the story was too downbeat. But I think the downbeat quality is just as necessary an ingredient of the story as its disco music. One of the movie's points is that Disco is an escape, a multi-colored paradise in which Tony Manero and everyone else for that matter can forget about the ugly, unfair world patiently waiting for them outside. That's why Tony flips out toward the end at the dance contest when the Top Prize unfairly goes to him and Stephanie instead of to the more deserving Puerto Rican couple. He sees that the injustice of the outside world has pierced through the silver walls of the disco world---a world which he had always thought was too special, pure, and innocent to allow that inside; and now, that world has been tainted...with Reality.
Another quality of the film that tends to get overlooked is the supporting acting. I'm surprised that most people have cited Karen Lynn Gorney's performance as being among the movie's weaknesses. I think people say that because Travolta's presence is so charismatic and overwhelming that her contribution has gotten eclipsed. But if you take a good look at her performance you'll see that she creates a convincing, impressive portrait of a woman fiercely struggling with what she wants to be, what she is, and what she used to be. Gorney's Stephanie is a fascinating character: a woman with a goddess' face but a Brooklyn-gutter-girl's voice.
I saw "SNF" when it first came out--I was 5-years-old; now I'm 30, and I will always remember the powerful effect the movie had on me. Even at age 5, I was surprised at how great Travolta was and how engrossing the story and music were. And that's why I keep coming back to it--to relive that experience over and over and over...like a favorite record.