Staying Alive

Six years on from Saturday Night Fever, Travolta's Tony Manero is very much the same: one dimensional, bovine, manipulating, self-obsessed, as he fights his way from dancing obscurity to a starring role in some God-awful Broadway parody of a multi-million-pound Zanussi ad. On the way, he falls in and out with the ice-cool English star (Hughes), before opting for faithful old stablemate Jackie (Rhodes). The dance sequences seem poor beer when set against the vibrant amateurism of Saturday Night Fever, mostly rudimentary Martha Graham, with lots of close-ups to hide Travolta's obvious failings in that department. All could be forgiven if it weren't for the soulless overall slickness.