Hairspray in Review

If you read the blog regularly, you will know that Hairspray is my 2nd most anticipated movie of the year. And, even with my unrealistically high standards, Hairspray manages to impress; and very much so. It is the first movie this summer to not disappoint me (let's hope that The Simpsons Movie will be the 2nd next week)

I have not had this much fun in a theater in ages. The movie is just as upbeat, entertaining and gloriously corny as the show, but is wise in that it changes some things. First off, the ending. I don't want to give out any spoilers, but this movie is not quite as predictable as you may think. Second, the performances from Nikki Blonsky and Michelle Pfeiffer were 100% nomination worthy. Blonsky has acting skills to match those of her pipes, which is really saying something. Pfeiffer plays Velma Von Tussle, a stage mother determined to bring our plus size heroine--and integration--down. Most actresses would have seen this role as an opportunity to be a silly and dopey comic villain. Pfeiffer, however, focuses entirely on being the biggest bitch she can be, and as a result, we think she is worse than Hitler (which only makes us root for the protagonist more). And, finally, this movie is nothing but light-hearted, toe-tapping, lip-synch inducing musical fun. It is very rare for a movie to make you smile. Not because it is funny (though there is an abundance of laughs in this film), but because it makes you feel great. Had it not been for a great performance but bad vocal from Amanda Bynes and, more importantly, a thoroughly annoying performance and vocal from John Travolta (though some of his deliveries are quite amusing), I would have given this an A. But, it falls just below at an A-.