Flashdance - 6 stars out of 10

Flashdance - 6 stars out of 10

"Flashdance" screams "80's!"  From the retro costumes (which weren't retro at the time) to the music video-style dance sequences, it is a walk down memory lane.  More than anything, the soundtrack to this film defines 1980's pop music, winning a Grammy and an Oscar as well as charting songs on the Billboard Top 100.  Even though the critics heavily panned the film, it survives as a period piece that captures the 1980's music culture.  The "steel-mill-worker-by-day/bar-dancer-by-night-aspiring-to-study-dance-at-a-conservatory-while-falling-in-love-with-her-boss" story is so cheesy that it's tough to believe that it is based on a true story, but the story doesn't really matter in this series of awesome dance sequences.  The Pittsburgh atmosphere works perfectly to facilitate film's duality between steel mills and nightclubs.  Jennifer Beals commands the screen as Alex Owens, a bold and multifaceted character who is full of attitude and self-consciousness.  Beals is very nice to look at and has incredible dance skill, all while bringing emotion to this character.  "Flashdance" may not be an Oscar-caliber drama but it is a fun dance film and I'd watch it again.