
Episode #39
Dirty Dancing
This week the lads review the 1987 American romantic drama Dirty Dancing, directed by Emile Ardolino and starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Set in the summer of 1963 at a Catskill Mountains resort, it follows seventeen-year-old Baby Houseman as she falls for the resort's dance instructor Johnny Castle — a story of class, first love, and one of the greatest soundtracks ever committed to film. Before a single frame gets discussed, the episode opens with a bet. The Aussie is convinced the podcast has already covered Schindler's List. The Scotsman is equally convinced it hasn't. A case of beer is staked. A handshake is had. The result is not kind to the Aussie — and the fallout drags on longer than it should. Then comes the Aussie's story. Restaurant grievances. Cash discounts. Early bird specials. A four-minute missed window that escalates into a full debate about the cashless society, merchant fees, and whether a 15-year-old can legally use a credit card. The Scotsman has strong opinions. The Aussie has strong opinions. Nobody wins. On the film itself — the Scotsman is watching Dirty Dancing for the very first time, and his verdict is that it is okay. Enjoyable, but disjointed. Good music. Light on substance. The Aussie, on the other hand, is emotional from the opening scene. The sunnies go on. He is giving full Johnny Castle energy and is not ashamed of it. The Aussie makes the case for the class system running through the film — the Harvard waiters, the staff cabin up the mountain, Patrick Swayze looked down upon while Robbie the doctor gets treated like royalty despite being an absolute prick. The Scotsman concedes the point but is quick to note that none of it is done particularly subtly. They get into the age gap — Baby is seventeen, Johnny is very much not — and what that looks like through a modern lens. The Scotsman takes it somewhere uncomfortable before pulling it back. The Aussie is horrified. The soundtrack gets its moment, and rightly so. Thirty-two million copies sold. Arguably the greatest movie soundtrack ever made alongside Grease, The Bodyguard and Saturday Night Fever. The Aussie plays several tracks live on air and is visibly moved. The Scotsman admits the music is the best part of the whole film. Ratings come in: the Aussie gives it 3.3 out of 5. The Scotsman forgets to rate it but does rate himself and in hindsight gives it a 2/5. Both agree — it is a feel-good film with a killer soundtrack, but if you are reviewing it honestly, the plot is thin and the writing uneven. *"You can watch it a thousand times and your brain can have a rest,"* says the Aussie. The Scotsman calls that the smartest thing said in two hundred episodes. Trivia rounds things out — the $6 million budget, every studio that passed on it, the final lift being largely unrehearsed, and the deeply sad story of Jennifer Grey and Matthew Broderick's car accident in Northern Ireland just weeks after filming wrapped. One of the great pieces of trivia the podcast has delivered. The episode closes with both hosts attempting to sing. It is not recommended. Out now on YouTube and also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Hit subscribe or follow — it genuinely helps the show keep growing. Thanks for the support.

