Hairspray
Review by Camerin Courtney | posted 7/20/2007
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Hairspray
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MPAA rating: PG
(for language, some suggestive content and momentary teen smoking)
Genre: Comedy, Musical
Theater release:
July 20, 2007
by New Line Cinema
Directed by: Adam Shankman
Runtime: 1 hour 55 minutes
Cast: Nikki Blonsky (Tracy Turnblad), John Travolta (Edna Turnblad), Christopher Walken (Wilbur Turnblad), Michelle Pfeiffer (Velma Von Tussle), Queen Latifah (Motormouth Maybelle), Amanda Bynes (Penny Pingleton), Brittany Snow (Amber Von Tussle), Zac Efron (Link Larkin), Elijah Kelley (Seaweed), James Marsden (Corny Collins)
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Tracy Turnblad is a girl with big hair, big dreams, and a big body. It's 1962 and this Baltimore high school student wants nothing more than to land a spot on The Corny Collins Show, a local American Bandstand-styled TV hit. Unfortunately, Tracy also has big problems: Her overprotective, defeatist mom, Edna (John Travolta), doesn't want her to audition, and the show's producer, Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer), is too narrow-minded to cast our chubby heroine and risk stealing any screen time from her spoiled daughter and star cast-member, Amber.
But that doesn't dissuade Tracy (played by Nikki Blonsky), who has more pluck than aerosol strength working for her. When she lands in detention, our earnest girl makes friends and trades dance moves with the African American students, who only get to shine on Corny's monthly "Negro Day." When Tracy's new, somewhat suggestive grooves at the school dance earn her the attention of Corny Collins (James Marsden), her dreams finally come true. She's now a show regular, and that much closer to her crush, Link Larkin (Zac Efron), the Elvis-inspired crooner who can't even say his own name without a smarmy wink.
Newcomer Nikki Blonsky is delightful in her role as Tracy Turnblad
With one dream fulfilled, Tracy aims higher—setting her sights on the Miss Hairspray title, as well as on racially integrating Corny's show. Corny's all for it, but the station's producers, led by villainous Velma, won't hear of it. Will a big heart and big hair be enough to help Tracy lead a revolution? Land her crooner crush? Stay out of jail? Oh, of course I'm not saying. But I will reveal that the journey to these answers is one fun ride.
Hairspray is based on the 2002 Broadway musical, which is based on the 1988 John Waters' cult film classic, both of the same name. This Adam Shankman (The Pacifier, Cheaper by the Dozen 2) version draws on the best of both musicals and adds a few fresh songs, an all-star cast, toned-down snark, and ramped-up aw-shucks innocence.
John Travolta is terrific as Nikki's mother Edna
In this rendition, John Travolta fills the pantyhose formerly occupied by Divine and Harvey Fierstein. As Edna Turnblad, Travolta is an amazingly believable woman. He offers more vulnerability than campiness as a woman who hasn't left her home in a decade because she's embarrassed about her ample frame and who wants to protect her daughter from the same ridicule she's surely known herself. We watch Edna grow over the course of the film, offering touching love to her family as well as a hilarious song-and-dance number with hubby Wilbur (Christopher Walken). Not many actors could have pulled that off, but somehow these guys do—winningly.
But the true star of the flick is newcomer Nikki Blonsky. She has us at "Good Morning, Baltimore" in the opening scenes, as she belts her musical greeting to her corner of the world. She has such a contagious joie de vivre that we can't help but love her, root for her, and want to be her backup singer. Blonsky imbues Tracy with the perfect blend of confidence, heart, sass, and integrity.
Michelle Pfeiffer is deliciously evil as Velva Von Tussle
There's almost too much talent to mention in this star-filled dance party. But let me point to two more: Pfeiffer is deliciously evil as the manipulative, snobbish, racist Velma Von Tussle. She sings, dances, woos, plots, insults, and pouts like a pro. We want her to fall, mostly because we know she'll make even that entertaining. And despite the name, Queen Latifah's Motormouth Maybelle provides a calming center to this hyperactive flick. She's got soul and style for days. And she provides some of the more meaty and moving moments in the film.
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