Erbak Movie Reviews: Flashdance (1983)

Dreams are beautiful. They can be impossible, mesmerizing, and wonderfully irrational. But they can also be fragile, disappearing as quickly as soap bubbles or melting away like a teaspoon of sugar in hot tea.

Some dreams become passions. They grow so deeply inside us that giving up on them becomes just as impossible as achieving them.

This week at Erbak Movie Reviews, Flashdance tells the inspiring story of a young woman determined to turn her greatest dream into reality—no matter how difficult the journey may be.

One Dream

Alex Owens was far from an ordinary young woman.

During the day, she worked as a welder on a construction site. At night, she danced at a local bar, performing with a passion that seemed completely at odds with her rough daytime job.

She needed the money from both jobs to survive.

But whenever she had a moment to herself, there was only one thing on her mind: dancing.

Alex had a single dream—to become a professional dancer one day.

And she refused to let go of it.

Life's Unpleasant Surprises

Alex had learned from an early age that life didn't always play fair.

She had no family to fall back on and no one waiting to rescue her when things went wrong. Her dog, Grunt, and the modest place she called home were practically all she had.

She sometimes rebelled against her circumstances, but for the most part, she had learned to live with them.

Then she discovered something important: dancing could give her life a purpose.

And once that desire took hold of her, it only grew stronger with every passing day.

Fierce and Ambitious

For Alex, dancing wasn't simply a hobby. It was the life she wanted.

Her greatest ambition was to study at the prestigious Pittsburgh Dance Academy. But deep down, she didn't believe she could even pass the audition.

Her fierce personality could be seen in every movement she made. Her performances at the nightclub attracted plenty of attention, but the world of professional dance was different.

The academy demanded discipline, training, and confidence.

Alex had the passion.

What she lacked was the belief that she truly belonged there.

Things Could Get Complicated

Alex was so consumed by her dream that she barely noticed someone else becoming increasingly interested in her.

One night at the club, her dancing caught the attention of a particularly captivated admirer.

His name was Nick Hurley.

He also happened to be her boss.

Naturally, things became a little complicated.

Alex wasn't looking for love, and the idea of becoming involved with her employer was hardly appealing. Yet there was something about Nick that made her feel safe.

For perhaps the first time in her life, someone seemed genuinely interested in protecting her and looking after her.

And that feeling quietly found its way into her heart.

Life...

Nick admired Alex—not only as a woman, but as a dancer.

He couldn't understand why someone with so much talent was working as a welder during the day.

But Alex didn't expect him to understand.

She had to make a living somehow.

So she worked with her hands during the day and chased her dreams at night, trying to build a future on her own terms.

The problem was that she still hadn't found the courage to take the biggest step.

Deep inside, Alex carried a persistent feeling that she wasn't good enough.

And strangely enough, that insecurity became one of the things pushing her forward.

The Tension

No matter how hard she tried to resist it, Alex eventually fell for Nick.

Her body wasn't the only thing dancing anymore. Her heart was dancing too. Even the butterflies in her stomach seemed to have joined in.

But their relationship existed on a fragile line.

One mistake could send them in completely different directions.

Then it happened.

Alex was given the opportunity to audition for the dance academy, but she discovered that Nick had secretly used his connections on the academy's board to help her get there.

What Nick saw as support, Alex saw as a betrayal of everything she had worked for.

Her disappointment quickly turned into anger.

She didn't want a favor.

She wanted to earn her place.

A Fighter and a Dancer

Eventually, Alex managed to see what had been hidden behind her anger.

It was still an opportunity.

And sometimes, the pain of losing someone—or the fear of losing yourself—is what finally gives you the strength to move forward.

Alex decided to audition.

It would become one of the most important days of her life.

She stood before the judges and began to dance.

Then she stumbled.

She fell.

For a moment, everything seemed to be over.

But Alex didn't walk away.

She got back up and started again.

This time, she wasn't going to surrender.

Because Alex wasn't just a dancer.

She was a fighter.

Talent, courage, passion, and an almost stubborn belief in her dream surrounded her as she danced.

And for the first time, she wasn't simply dreaming about conquering the world.

She was ready to step into it.

Enjoy the film…