More than four decades after Grease first hit theaters, the iconic 1978 musical is being reexamined under a modern lens and not everyone is singing its praises anymore.
Viewers who once adored the film are now calling out its controversial themes, accusing it of promoting outdated ideas about gender roles, consent, and toxic masculinity. The criticism, largely fueled by younger audiences rewatching the film on streaming platforms or during TV reruns, is sparking heated online debate.
Starring John Travolta as Danny Zuko and the late Olivia Newton John as Sandy Olsson, Grease follows two teenagers navigating love and identity after a summer romance leads to unexpected reunion at high school. With its catchy soundtrack and exaggerated 1950s style, the film became a cultural phenomenon, earning over $396 million worldwide and cementing itself in cinematic history.
But times have changed and so have the conversations.
Social media users are pointing to specific lyrics and scenes that they now find deeply unsettling. One of the most criticized moments is the infamous line in the song Summer Nights: “Did she put up a fight?” which many have interpreted as a reference to s*xual coercion. For some, that one line alone changes how they view the entire film.
“Grease singing ‘Did she put up a fight?’ pretty much ruins the whole movie for me now,” one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter)
Others echoed similar thoughts, with one user admitting, “I loved Grease as a teenager, now I see it as a pile of misogynistic crap.” Another added, “It’s full of toxic masculinity, r* culture, and p****philia.”**
The drive in scene, where Danny tries to grope Sandy and she pushes him off, has also come under fire, with critics calling it an example of normalized harassment in older films.
Additional concerns include the film’s lack of diversity, objectification of women, and older actors playing teenage roles Olivia Newton John was 29 and Stockard Channing (Rizzo) was 33 at the time of filming.
Despite the backlash, others argue that Grease is a product of its time and shouldn’t be judged by today’s standards. Olivia Newton John herself addressed the controversy before her passing.
In a 2020 interview with The Guardian, she said:
“It’s a story from the 50s where things were different… People do things for love. It was a fun love story.”
She doubled down in a 2021 podcast, saying:
“It’s a musical, not to be taken so seriously… We need to relax a little bit and just enjoy things for what they are.”
Still, the divide remains. While Grease will likely remain a staple in pop culture and high school drama clubs, the way audiences engage with it has undeniably shifted.
What was once seen as carefree and romantic is now being challenged, and for many viewers, the nostalgia just doesn’t hit the same anymore.
Feature Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
