In drastic need of Dirty Dancing

After seeing The Heat recently, a friend of mine and fellow film critic Cassam, admitted that he had somehow missed ever seeing Sandra Bullock strut her stuff in Miss Congeniality. After further encouragement, it also came out that he had also never seen DIRTY DANCING. WHUTTT?! That film is older than I am and has been on TV so many times, I don’t know how you can possibly have avoided it, even if you wanted to. So of course, I did what any self-respecting film critic would do and organised a girly film night. For my male friend. He sorted the snacks, I was busy getting Kellerman’s ready.

Kellerman's is the equivalent of Butlins in 1960s America

Dirty Dancing is a rite of passage, however old you are, whether you’re male or female, if you’ve seen it 19 times already, you’ll still be bewitched by Jennifer Grey’s hair (not Jennifer’s grey hair) and Patrick Swayze’s fantastic bod. I was nervous though – if he hated it, I’d never hear the end of ‘that time when I invited Cassam over for a great film night and he thought it was pants’. I think sitting between me and my flatmate mouthing along to the dialogue and then singing along to every single song would put anyone off but he held fast and actually enjoyed it all. He thought there was no plot (not true, it’s a great coming-of-age love story, with a serious subplot about abortion) but he loved the chemistry between Grey (Baby) and Swayze (Johnny) but then, who couldn’t? Me and my flatmate also re-enacted the Mickey/Sylvia scene below. I was Swayze, obvs.

"How do you call your loverboy?" Gaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!

I can’t tell you how many years I’ve dreamed of having Baby's bottom and her ability to wiggle those hips in a way that doesn’t make her look geriatric. I love her clothes, I love that she’s not a totally obvious knockout, I love that he’s older,I love the strength of her love for Johnny and I love that she loses her virginity before her sister without making a big song and dance about it. The movie toys with and destroys conventions by being more than a little naughty but not enough that you can’t watch with your parents. Speaking of parents, what the hell does the mum do in this film? Why is she there? I think she speaks to Babyonce, telling her to stand up straight. And the sister? Who wears “beige, iridescent lipstick” anyway?

Want to remind yourself of the best Dirty Dancing moments? Brilliant post here of Dirty Dancing GIFs. I can’t recommend having a Dirty Dancing film night enough and I have proven that men can love it too. Do it, do it…

Fact fans - Patrick Swayze co-wrote and sang “She’s Like the Wind” for the film. Don’t believe me? Check this out:

Oh Patrick :(