Grease | Directed by Randal Kleiser // Starring John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway, Didi Conn, and Barry Pearl
Summary (Spoiler-free): Grease is the word. This film is a musical about summer love, high school drama, and leather jackets somehow manages to be both a time capsule of the 1950s and a defining piece of 1970s cinema. It’s big, brash, and a little bonkers — but it’s also pure fun. The kind of fun that sticks with you for a lifetime.
There are movies you admire, and there are movies you feel in your bones. Grease is the latter for me. It's the movie I watched with my cousins at the beach — sunburned, over-caffeinated, singing "Summer Nights" in unison before we even hit the chorus. It’s comfort food, wrapped in a black leather jacket and delivered with a wink and a smirk.
I won't even do the different loved it, liked it, etc. sections for this one. In no way is this movie technically great. In fact, you could argue it's pretty bad in that regard. But who cares?
I could probably quote the entire film from start to finish:
These lines aren’t just burned into my brain and part of my family lore.
What makes Grease so great isn’t its realism, because let’s be honest, there’s nothing remotely realistic about 30-year-olds playing high schoolers or spontaneously breaking into song in a diner. But realism was never the point. Grease is wish fulfillment. It’s what high school feels like in your memory: exaggerated, ridiculous, and full of moments that feel like life and death at the time. It turns teenage angst into a Broadway spectacle, and somehow, it works.
The performances are iconic. John Travolta is magnetic as Danny Zuko, all swagger and hair gel, but with real vulnerability beneath the surface. Olivia Newton-John makes Sandy's transformation feel earned, even if it sparks debate at every family gathering. Stockard Channing’s Rizzo, though, might be the most layered character in the whole film. Her tough-girl exterior hides real pain, and her solo number “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” still hits like a gut punch.
The music is undeniably a huge part of the appeal. From “Greased Lightning” to “Hopelessly Devoted to You” to the show-stopping “You’re the One That I Want,” every song brings something to the table. These aren't just great musical numbers — they’re sing-in-the-car-with-the-windows-down anthems. And the choreography? Chaotic, colorful, and completely infectious.
Technically, sure, it’s not flawless. Some of the story beats are rushed. The message is… complicated. And the final scene? Let’s just say that car really takes off. But none of that matters. It’s Grease. You don’t come for nuance. You come for the energy. The style. The fantasy.
Grease isn’t just a movie. It’s a feeling. It’s the smell of sunscreen and popcorn. It’s your cousin belting “Beauty School Dropout” in a beach house living room. It’s a time when movies were allowed to be a little messy and a lot of fun.
It may not be perfect, but it’s perfectly mine. And every time I hear that first note, I’m right back in that moment, smiling like a kid with the whole summer ahead of me.
And yes — I’ll still sing the whole finale, word for word, without shame. Because Grease is the word. Always has been.
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Side note, if you're in the Philadelphia area, there's a local production of Grease happening at The Oakwood Summer Theater in South Jersey.
There’s something nostalgic and comforting about seeing Grease on stage at a local theater. The energy is raw, the cast is full of heart, and you can feel the joy radiating from every performer. It takes you back to high school. Supporting local theater keeps that magic alive and gives communities a chance to experience stories like Grease in a whole new way. It's proof that you don’t need a big budget to bring big fun.
Get tickets here: https://ost.booktix.com/dept/main/e/Grs
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