Self-proclaimed as the “original high school musical,” Grease is back and better than ever. Re-released as a sing-a-long, fans get to follow the words to all their favorite songs – and for once not be shhh’ed by the local theater manager. That’s right, because they will be in a theatre full of people singing their hearts out to the tunes they’ve known since childhood…or so they thought.

That’s right, Grease Sing-A-Long is a great experience for the die-hard Grease fan because it is the best opportunity to discover all the lyrics you have misunderstood and made up (without realizing it) for decades. Along with this very public and out–of – tune realization, I personally uncovered the actual meaning behind so many of the jokes and songs I have heard a thousand times before. I assure you, this is no High School Musical.

The actors are much older than the characters they portray, and their age is evidenced by the amount of make-up covering their face in every scene (hiding their early crow’s feet). But the cast is not the only thing mature here. The content matter surrounding the movie’s main themes may be pertinent to high school life now, but I was surprised to think of high schoolers more than thirty years ago dealing with such adult thoughts and issues. Hand in hand with those less-than-innocent thoughts are lots of vulgar comments and sexual innuendos. This should actually make the film more appealing to adults who have managed to live under a rock for the last 32 years, and thus missing this classic; however, I would also continue to recommend the film for a younger audience. It did take me, and many others, this long to actually grasp what was going on.

The effects are old school, but the storyline and characters are timeless. The addition of the words across the bottom of the screen is also done in a timeless, vintage style, which only serves to add to the humor throughout the film. Whether you missed Grease before or simply have taken it for granted that you’ve seen it enough, now you must seize the opportunity to catch this fun and enlightening group experience for the short two weeks that it is available.

Disclaimer: I saw this movie at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX, and I noticed that some of the graphics and lyrics of the songs were uncensored compared to the trailer I later watched online. If you end up in a boring city or movie theatre that doesn’t show the version I saw, I’m sorry and not responsible.