Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- energetic
- aspirational
- romantic
- dance movie night
- 1980s nostalgia
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the sequel as a glossy, unrealistic, and dramatically weak replacement for the original film’s gritty social realism.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tony works as a dance instructor and club waiter while pursuing a Broadway dancing career.
Tony leaves Brooklyn for Manhattan and tries to separate himself from his former life, family, and friends.
The production culminates in an elaborate dance number featuring fire, ice, smoke, flashing lights, and laser beams.
Tony’s background as a disco dancer is redirected toward professional Broadway choreography and stage performance.
Films like Staying Alive, and why
Flashdance
dance-driven musical drama centered on professional ambition and performance spectacle
Footloose
1980s backstage musical with romantic tension, career struggle, and pop-oriented production numbers
A Chorus Line
musical drama about an aspiring performer pursuing success against professional obstacles
Saturday Night Fever
sequel-driven dance film sharing a performer’s reinvention and heightened musical style
Movie Details
- Director
- Sylvester Stallone
- Release Date
- 1983-07-11
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (523)
Cast
- John Travolta
- Cynthia Rhodes
- Finola Hughes
- Steve Inwood
- Julie Bovasso
- Charles Ward
- Steve Bickford
- Patrick Brady
- Norma Donaldson
- Jesse Doran
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- 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 Staying Alive about?
- A former Brooklyn disco champion pursues Broadway success in Manhattan while trying to outgrow the attitudes and relationships of his past.
- What is Staying Alive like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Staying Alive as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Staying Alive violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Staying Alive.
- What did critics think of Staying Alive?
- Critics broadly regarded the sequel as a glossy, unrealistic, and dramatically weak replacement for the original film’s gritty social realism.
- Which films are like Staying Alive?
- Films with a similar feel include Flashdance, Footloose, A Chorus Line, and Saturday Night Fever.
- How long is Staying Alive?
- Staying Alive runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch Staying Alive?
- In United States, Staying Alive is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
