Hairspray is taken to new heights in classic musical remake
Hairspray
Adam Shankman's prior films, like The Wedding Planner, The Pacifier and Cheaper by the Dozen 2, have all tended to be feebly formulaic, but there is much to admire here. Hairspray is a remarkably, captivating 1960s satire (based on the 1988 screenplay by John Waters and the 2002 musical stage play) that's simply an infectious delight from start to finish.
Set in Watter's home town of Baltimore, in 1962, the movie opens with our heroine Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) singing the opening number “Good Morning Baltimore” on the way to school and is surprising undeterred by the appearance of rats, a flasher (cameo role played by John Watters) and the local drunk!
As it turns out, Tracy dreams of being a dancer on the local teen TV dance program, “The Corny Collins Show,” hosted by Corny Collins (James Marsden) and managed by the unrelentingly cruel Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer). However, her first attempt ends in failure, because in eyes of the programs producer she is too fat. Nonetheless, she remains unconcerned and with the help of Motormouth Maybelle's son Seaweed (Elijah Kelly), Tracy soon learns hot new dance moves, which eventually get her hired as a substitute council member on the show.
Almost immediately, she becomes the viewer's favourite, and although originally skeptical, Tracy's laundress mom Edna (John Travolta) is thrilled, as is joke-shop owning dad Wilbur (Christopher Walken).
Our bubbly heroine also hopes to change the show's stance on black people who, only get to appear once a month on “Negro Day,” and never with white people. But when the program's producer, Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer), bans the program's “Negroes” edition, Tracy takes a stand for civil rights that could cost her her dream of winning the Miss Teenage Hairspray competition. Although standing up for what she believes in may win her points with Amber Von Tussle's (Brittany Snow) boyfriend Linc (Zac Efron), who seems like he has fallen both totally and madly in love with our rotund star.
What's most remarkable is that while much of the attention might inexorably be focused on John Travolta (who gives a somewhat “daring” performance), it is Nikki Blonsky (a newcomer) who steals every scene she's in. Taking to the screen like a seasoned pro, she exudes charisma and is absolutely convincing in this musical milieu.
The performances from the other kids are pretty much top-notch across the board as well. Efron, Snow, Bynes and Parks all score points. Nevertheless, another scene-stealer is Kelley, whose self-confident Seaweed strikes across, perhaps, the movie's single most dynamic number (Run).
Again, Pheiffer plays the villain. But unlike in Stardust where she delivers an exceptional “baddie” performance, her role here falls rather dreary.
In a nutshell, Hairspray only skims the surface on many important subjects. It is a real crowd pleaser that offers a safe, soft and humorous pick, with the sole aim of appealing to almost every demographic.
Adam Shankman's prior films, like The Wedding Planner, The Pacifier and Cheaper by the Dozen 2, have all tended to be feebly formulaic, but there is much to admire here. Hairspray is a remarkably, captivating 1960s satire (based on the 1988 screenplay by John Waters and the 2002 musical stage play) that's simply an infectious delight from start to finish.
Set in Watter's home town of Baltimore, in 1962, the movie opens with our heroine Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) singing the opening number “Good Morning Baltimore” on the way to school and is surprising undeterred by the appearance of rats, a flasher (cameo role played by John Watters) and the local drunk!
As it turns out, Tracy dreams of being a dancer on the local teen TV dance program, “The Corny Collins Show,” hosted by Corny Collins (James Marsden) and managed by the unrelentingly cruel Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer). However, her first attempt ends in failure, because in eyes of the programs producer she is too fat. Nonetheless, she remains unconcerned and with the help of Motormouth Maybelle's son Seaweed (Elijah Kelly), Tracy soon learns hot new dance moves, which eventually get her hired as a substitute council member on the show.
Almost immediately, she becomes the viewer's favourite, and although originally skeptical, Tracy's laundress mom Edna (John Travolta) is thrilled, as is joke-shop owning dad Wilbur (Christopher Walken).
Our bubbly heroine also hopes to change the show's stance on black people who, only get to appear once a month on “Negro Day,” and never with white people. But when the program's producer, Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer), bans the program's “Negroes” edition, Tracy takes a stand for civil rights that could cost her her dream of winning the Miss Teenage Hairspray competition. Although standing up for what she believes in may win her points with Amber Von Tussle's (Brittany Snow) boyfriend Linc (Zac Efron), who seems like he has fallen both totally and madly in love with our rotund star.
What's most remarkable is that while much of the attention might inexorably be focused on John Travolta (who gives a somewhat “daring” performance), it is Nikki Blonsky (a newcomer) who steals every scene she's in. Taking to the screen like a seasoned pro, she exudes charisma and is absolutely convincing in this musical milieu.
The performances from the other kids are pretty much top-notch across the board as well. Efron, Snow, Bynes and Parks all score points. Nevertheless, another scene-stealer is Kelley, whose self-confident Seaweed strikes across, perhaps, the movie's single most dynamic number (Run).
Again, Pheiffer plays the villain. But unlike in Stardust where she delivers an exceptional “baddie” performance, her role here falls rather dreary.
In a nutshell, Hairspray only skims the surface on many important subjects. It is a real crowd pleaser that offers a safe, soft and humorous pick, with the sole aim of appealing to almost every demographic.
