Grease 1978

Vincent Canby, New York Times: Its sensibility is not tied to the past but to a free-wheeling, well informed, high-spirited present. Read more

Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader: Limp, cheaply made. Read more

Michael Booth, Denver Post: Grease holds up for new generations because it captures the enthusiasm of youth and the vibrancy of California's sunshine-and-cars culture. Read more

Entertainment Weekly: Read more

Arthur Knight, Hollywood Reporter: What makes it work is its youthful vitality, the tremendous energy and imagination expended on its virtually wall-to-wall song and dance number. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Travolta is a riot. Alternately swaggering to prove his "coolness" and re-affirming his ability on the dance floor, the actor gives the kind of performance that's perfect for the role. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Just an average musical, pleasant and upbeat and plastic. Read more

Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle: The friskiness of the performers, the choreography by Patricia Birch and most of all Travolta's phenomenal charm give it its value. Read more

John L. Wasserman, San Francisco Chronicle: The screenplay is a prepubescent shambles, the direction is by acne out of disposable douches, the dubbing and looping of the songs is painfully obvious, the characterizations are generally repulsive and the whole thing is utterly without style. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: Its flashy opportunism (nostalgia pitched squarely at an audience too young to even recall the era) quickly becomes very irritating. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: Grease has got it, from the outstanding animated titles of John Wilson all the way through the rousing finale as John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John ride off into teenage happiness. Read more