Hairspray
2007
****
Director: Adam Shankman
Cast: Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney
In 2002 John Waters' 1988 film was transformed into a Broadway musical, and now it returns to the big screen. It's set in 1962's Baltimore where the civil right movement is slowly gathering pace. Tracy Turnblad is a short and stocky teenager who dreams of dancing in her favourite TV show, but is Baltimore ready for Tracy's nonconforming looks, or for racial integration? This delightful musical has a simple story and a worthy message: don't judge a book by its cover. Adam Shankman attempts to destroy the musical numbers with his flat visuals and frequent cutting, but he is helpless against a laugh-out-loud funny script and catchy songs (by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman). John Travolta plays Tracy's grossly obese and insecure mother. This piece of casting seems completely bonkers at first, but Travolta gets all the best lines and his charming performance quickly won me over. Christopher Walken is also adorable as the eternally clueless father.
