"Dirty Dancing," released in 1987 and directed by Emile Ardolino, features Patrick Swayze as Johnny Castle, a dance instructor working at a Catskills resort in 1963, alongside Jennifer Grey as "Baby," the teenage daughter of an affluent Jewish doctor on vacation. She steps in as his dance partner after his usual one becomes pregnant—though not from him. A fondness naturally develops between them. This romantic drama was a major success in 1987, but its domestic box office earnings were less than those of other popular dance movies of the decade: "Flashdance" (1983) earned $95 million, “Footloose” (1984) brought in $80 million, while "Dirty Dancing" made $64 million. The two leads are a strong point; Swayze was at his peak and Grey was charming and agile, like a young deer. In reality, Grey was 26 during filming, though she convincingly portrays a late teenager. Swayze, however, was 34 and his age shows, even if he’s in good shape. The scenery of the Appalachian region is remarkable, and the story holds your attention, but you'll likely find yourself questioning the silly misunderstanding where Baby's father believes Johnny is responsible for his dance partner's pregnancy—and no one corrects him. It also feels like the characters consistently say the wrong thing at the worst possible moments, which just makes the confusion worse. Additionally, the romantic relationship between Johnny and Baby seems rushed and hard to accept given the time period, Baby’s age (17), and her upbringing. Frankie Avalon once commented on his early 60s "Beach" movies about whether the relationships were as wholesome as they appeared, and he responded (in essence): “As a teenager back then, ‘going all the way’ wasn't even considered.” The exception would be those from troubled backgrounds. Furthermore, Johnny’s relationship with the doctor’s daughter—a minor—doesn't earn him any favor. Even without the misunderstanding, there’s little reason for the father to approve of him. So it’s odd that the doctor shows respect for Johnny at the end, a man who is having relations with his underage daughter and is noticeably older than her, although one could argue he’s unaware they are involved. These kinds of issues suggest careless writing and can be insulting to those who think critically. If you're able to disregard these shortcomings, the film remains entertaining. The dance scenes among the staff feel like a stylized version of intimacy. That probably explains the title "Dirty Dancing." However, this is another problem with the movie: these sequences are so elaborate and choreographed that they practically scream at the viewer, “This is a movie; it’s not real.” Still, Grey is adorable, Swayze is impressive, and the beautiful Appalachian locations—filmed at Mountain Lake Resort, Pembroke, Virginia, and Lake Lure, NC—are a definite plus. The film runs for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Writer: Eleanor Bergstein. Grade: B-/C+

Source on TMDB