Hairspray

Obviously a big-budget, flashy musical remake of a John Waters film is never going to be as subversive or as comically edgy as its predecessors, but one of the good things about HAIRSPRAY is that it never intends to be. It fully embraces the cheesy, over-the-top aspect of a movie musical from frame one, a trait that most other current films of its type try to avoid. In a welcome change from the summer drudgery of explosions and CGI, this film is a pure feel-good crowd pleaser where excitement and energy rise above all.

Tracy Turnblad (newcomer Nikki Blonsky) is a short, overweight Baltimore girl who has a problem with “hair height” and dreams of becoming famous. Despite protestations from her protective, house-locked mother Edna (John Travolta), she auditions to be a dancer on “The Corny Collins Show”, a riff on American Bandstand, and quickly becomes Baltimore’s newest sensation. All this, coupled with a crush on the local high school dreamboat (Zac Efron) and her strive for complete societal integration makes Tracy a hero for all times and ages, proving that you don’t have to be skinny and blonde to be all you can be, despite the opposition of the local television station manager (Michelle Pfeiffer, in her first film in five years) and her equally blonde, equally villainous daughter Amber (Brittany Snow). Yes, the film is uplifting in the “beauty is found within” vein, but that is part of the film’s charm.

HAIRSPRAY boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including a sampling of today’s biggest stars, both aged and young; Christopher Walken, James Marsden, Amanda Bynes, Queen Latifah and Allison Janney are featured in supporting roles, while cameos from original stars Ricki Lake, Jerry Stiller and director John Waters are sprinkled through the film. Everyone in the cast gives able performances; even Travolta who, in drag and a fat suit, seems at first off-putting, beginning a one-joke “hey I’m a man in a dress!” performance, quickly grows into his own as Edna does, becoming the most crowd-pleasing character by the film’s end. It’s a pleasure to see a former GREASE-r returning to what made him famous, but Travolta proves surprisingly agile in the comedy department, especially during his song and dance numbers. Pfeiffer gives an appropriately vampy villainous performance, reveling in the same carefree, fun comedic style as Travolta. Walken is simply Walken, doing his usually amusing weird-guy shtick in an enjoyable manner. Janney also provides the laughs as the ultra-conservative emblem of a 50s mother, becoming instantly memorable in just a few short scenes. Queen Latifah shows glimpses of a depth she never has before, especially as she organizes and participates in a march against segregation.

The real enjoyment here, however, and the truly great performances are given by the younger members of the cast. Every single teenager in the film, from the leads to the chorus boy in the back of the room are injected with an unshakable, undeniable energy that reaches through the screen and captivates the viewer. This rings true especially for the film’s two major finds: newcomers Nikki Blonsky and Elijah Kelly. Both of them have that instant star quality, a charisma and charm that make them instantly likable. Kelly displays simply astounding singing and dancing skills, while Blonsky easily carries the entire film of her shoulders, becoming the heart and soul of the movie with one hip thrust.

Director/choreographer Adam Shankman, whose previous credits include duds like CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN 2, THE PACIFIER and BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE has made a huge leap forward in his skills. Every one of the musical numbers are spectacularly shot and edited, keeping the pace moving and providing endless opportunity for humorous surprises. Shankman has a clear talent for musicals and the work done here is much more admirable than recent films of the genre. The sparkling production values make it clear; this film is cheesy and proud of it.

HAIRSPRAY has nothing much to offer besides two hours of entertainment and escapism, but it offers it in spades. It is a pure joy to watch from beginning to end and a welcome change of pace from the big-budget action film that surround its release. Yes, it’s a musical and yes, it’s over-the-top, but the audience is sold on that point from the first moment Tracy opens her mouth and the audience cannot help but be sucked in.

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