Overview
A nostalgic musical journey through teenage love and high school drama in the 1950s.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- campy
- nostalgic
- witty
- singalong night
- date night
What critics said
Critics broadly agree that the film is an exuberant, nostalgic, and highly entertaining musical elevated by John Travolta, though its broad camp and cluttered storytelling divide opinion.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The story recreates 1958 California high-school life through greaser style, poodle-skirt imagery, rock-and-roll songs, pep rallies, and a carnival finale.
Danny and Sandy repeatedly alter their appearances and behavior as they negotiate the gap between private attraction and school-group reputations.
Broad teen archetypes, heightened choreography, stylized production design, and oversized musical set pieces give the film its knowingly theatrical register.
The T-Birds and Pink Ladies shape Danny, Sandy, Rizzo, and their classmates through clothing, reputation, romance, and school events.
Films like Grease, and why
West Side Story
1950s teen romance, rock-and-roll musical numbers, and heightened high-school melodrama
Hairspray
teen musical comedy built around romance, dance, nostalgic pop culture, and ensemble performance
Mamma Mia!
campy retro musical, young romance, and exuberant choreography shaped by popular music traditions
Movie Details
- Director
- Randal Kleiser
- Release Date
- 1978-06-16
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (7845)
Cast
- Olivia Newton-John
- John Travolta
- Stockard Channing
- Jeff Conaway
- Barry Pearl
- Michael Tucci
- Kelly Ward
- Didi Conn
- Jamie Donnelly
- Dinah Manoff
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, Philo, YouTube TV, Freeform
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Grease about?
- A high-spirited 1950s teen romance where two summer sweethearts reshape their identities to survive the social theater of high school.
- What is Grease like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Grease as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Grease violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Grease.
- What did critics think of Grease?
- Critics broadly agree that the film is an exuberant, nostalgic, and highly entertaining musical elevated by John Travolta, though its broad camp and cluttered storytelling divide opinion.
- Which films are like Grease?
- Films with a similar feel include West Side Story, Hairspray, and Mamma Mia!.
- How long is Grease?
- Grease runs 110 minutes.
- Where can I watch Grease?
- In United States, Grease streams on fuboTV, Philo, YouTube TV, Freeform.
