Movie Review: Hairspray

Sean says...

Debbie Harry (yes, Blondie herself) is responsible for my love of camp. Harry co-starred in the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray as the evil beauty Velma Von Tussle. The late Sonny Bono and she plotted and schemed to ensure that the revolutionary dance teen Tracy Turnblad (Ricki Lake) didn't upturn their daughter Amber's ride to the top of Baltimore's TV dance teen throne and that segregation continued in Baltimore. Instead Velma ends up with a self-built bomb going off in her wig, while Tracy wins the day with her new dance "The Bug," ironed and streaked hair, and her roach print dress from Mr Pinky's Hefty Hideaway! With the addition of the legendary Water's collaborator Divine as Tracy's mother Edna (Jerry Stiller as the father), the film just rocks. I loved it all and "camp" was my new friend.

A clip of The Bug dance is below! Divine's presentation of it would be what I would use as my template!

My induction into "camp" cinema became a Broadway senstation with the 2003 Tony-Award Winning Marissa Jaret Winokur (Tracy Turnblad) and Harvey Fierstein as her mother Edna.

 

Now the Broadway show has become a movie in its own right! So how does the 2007 film directed by Adam Shankman turn out?  Not bad! Overall I would give it a B+ or a 3 1/2 star rating. Let's examine further shall we!

I am not one to jump on the band wagon when it comes to remakes, especially musical remakes of films (aka The Philadelphia Story becomes the unwatchable High Society), but this version slides in nicely next to its earlier incarnations. Not as biting and historically mindful as the original film or as jubuliant as the live version, the 2007 film just makes you smile with giddiness as you move through it. Mind you I love a good musical (damn gay gene!) and am quick to pan a bad one. Shankman's version, with its incredible dance sequences and committed core cast members, had me grinning and toe tapping throughout.  

The opening song "Good Morning Baltimore" (which in its lyrics launches its "wink" at the absurdity of it all) gives us a great entry into the world of the film. The new Tracy played by newcomer Nikki Blonksy has the fun and life of the Lake and Winokur incarnations. She is truly a breath of fresh air to see on screen simply because of her shape and raw talent. To many times, they give parts like these to young starlets who barely can sing and don't fit the part because they know they will bring the money in. Instead this film stays true to the ingenue role of the part and Blonksy delivers. Only later in the film does the Hollywood syndrome of star power over talent eclipse Blonsky for a bit with a stronger focus on Edna...but more about that later. This film is Blonsky's to deliver though and she does it with style and incredible talent. You'd think she was on screen long before this but this is her first film.

Blonsky's best song, in my humble (yeah right) opinion), is "I Can Hear the Bells". How this song flows through the setting of Tracy's day as she pines about her crush on Link Larkin (Zac Efron) is a gift to the audience from Shankman. Some critics have mentioned that this could have been edited a bit, but I truly feel it shows Blonsky's comedic talents and gives us a great look at Tracy and how she is just an average high school girl interested in boys, bored with school, and somewhat of the lovable social misfit. I keep singing the song in my head so the performance and Marc Shaiman's and Scott Whittman's music. The song also captures the mischief of Waters the best.

The cast member getting the most attention though is John Travolta of course playing Edna Tunblad.  In Divine tradition, the part of Tracy's mother is always a man playing a woman, straight out. The gag of course is that its a man in drag, but its a man in drag playing a woman as reality not as a drag queen. Travolta and his makeup are good and he makes the best of it. His quiet song and dance with Christopher Walken is a sweet moment as well. Why he is the only one in the film with a Baltimore accent I don't know. However, he takes a shot at it and the audience I saw it with seemed to like it. I am a little miffed with Travolta because of comments he and Scientology have made in the past about gays and lesbians - finding it ironic as many have that he is playing this part in particular. However, he does pull it off and after the first few minutes mkaes it quite funny. I would have loved to have seen another actor in the part though - say Jim Broadbent or Phillip Seymour Hoffman - but altgoether he does a good job.

But Travolta's performance aside, the Edna character is one of the issues I have with the film and the reason it gets a B+.  It is nice that they made the film about the mother daughter relationship but in the end the film is not about the mother it is about Tracy.  Sure, Tracy inspires everyone to get out there and be themselves. But, the attempt to chronical every character's change is a bit clumsy. Tracy is somewhat given a back seat for the 2nd half of the film and not allowed to steer the ship.  Sure, the other characters need to shine to make it fun but Edna's awakening as a woman overwhelms the other story of segregation which was true intent of the original 1988 film. Some may argue its Edna's awakening that brings women's lib to the forefront, but it just seems to clutter rather than support Tracy's tale. Tracy awakens the masses to arms. Toward's the end of the film this whole aspect is caught up with Edna's side story and waters down the social commentary. Maybelle Motormouth's (Queen Latifah) story especially suffers here because of this as well.

As for the rest of the cast, Zac Efron, James Marsden, and Elijah Kelley are great supporting players for Tracy's story. Efron comes from the High School Musical shop and keeps his train rolling well. His best moment the song "Without Love" with Nikki Blonsky's photo (an fun technical presentation).  Marsden suprises with an energetic and strong performance as teen dance show host Corny Collins. There is no ounce of cheese with him. He plays the part to the hilt and just delights. Kelley is a great dance addition and really can move. They should have given him more to do. 

Allison Janney does the best with her part as Penny Pingleton's mom and makes the best lines in the film at times adn could have been a great stand in for the original Joann Havrilla. Christopher Walken (the gorilla mask is hysterical) and Michelle Pfeiffer have their moments but they are a distraction over all from the main Tracy story. Pfeiffer (Velma Von Tussle) especially isn't allowed to build anything and is a weak villain since her part is changed from the 1988 original to the TV station manager and Amber's mom as a single parent. This makes her predictable downfall look like a slap to stage and working mom's if you think about it. But Pfeiffer does have pipes and looks incredible. Her first song is very funny and had me laughing outloud, and then she becomes one note.  The disappointment is Amanda Bynes who just seems to be there to fill the role and bring in her fans. She barely dances or sings which may be the nature of Penny's role as Tracy's best friend, but all and all she is a wasted part. Brittany Snow is a good pouter but her part isn't allowed to be evil enough and her perforamnce of it doesn't seem committed to her brattiness like Colleen Fitzpatrick's over-the-top original.

In the end, the film is defintely worth the watch and rewatch. The music is strong and the dancing ranks with the best movie musicals. A little off on focus in terms of what I mentioned before with Tracy's tale taking a back seat for a while, but all and all a show you should all go see again and again. Review: B+ or 3 1/2 stars

I stress though that seeing the 1988 original is a must. A true pleasure still worth watching and snickering at. It taught me: 1) to avoid women with large hair... a bomb may be inside! and 2) the dance sensation The Bug!