I’ve never seen the 1988 John Waters movie or the Broadway play upon which “Hairspray” is based. But it doesn’t matter, because the movie is still the most fun I’ve had in a theater in a long time.
The film’s opening musical number starts off on an upbeat note, with star Tracy Turnblad (portrayed by perfect-fit newcomer Nikki Blonsky) singing the praises of her hometown in “Good Morning Baltimore.”
Tracy maintains her high spirits as she sings about the town flasher and the town drunk, who supposedly wish her luck as she makes her way to school.
The whole musical number, like the film, is a musical joy-ride through a tongue-in-cheek version of the 1960s. It’s exactly what you’d expect from something based on a John Waters movie.
It isn’t all just singing and retro goodness, though. “Hairspray” addresses ’60s-era racism through “The Corny Collins Show,” a local Baltimore television show dedicated to music and dancing that only allows black kids to dance once a month, on what is called “Negro Day.”
Tracy, as the perky protagonist, lives in her own world of happiness and equality and believes every day should be “Negro Day.” The film chronicles her attempts (through dance) to make equality a reality.
The humor in the film is a refreshing, if unconventional, way to address racism, and it works. It doesn’t detract from the seriousness of the issue – rather, the fact that we can now find humor in the situation suggests that we’ve come a long way since then.
Only adding to the movie’s success is its all-star ensemble cast, which includes John Travolta as Tracy’s mother, Edna Turnblad. It’s an interesting casting choice that works amazingly well when you’re not concentrating on the fact that you’re watching John Travolta workin’ it in a fat suit.
All the other casting choices are just as perfect, from Michelle Pfeiffer and Brittany Snow as the evil Von Tussles, to James Marsden and Zac Efron as dreamboats Corny Collins and Link Larkin, respectively.
The only casting choice that seems slightly off is that of Seaweed J. Stubbs, played by Elijah Kelley, if only for the fact that Kelley is a virtual unknown in a cast of mostly well known names and familiar faces. But any doubt about the casting of Kelley quickly disappears once you realize just how well he sings and dances his way into the hearts of the movie’s characters and audience alike.
For moviegoers who have never seen the original film or the Broadway play, “Hairspray” still makes perfect sense, which is always nice. Not everyone has seen previous versions of “Hairspray,” and that the filmmakers realized this in making the film will only help it to appeal to the theater-going public.
And unlike some other recent Broadway-to-big screen musicals, “Hairspray” won’t leave you on a somber note (“Rent,” anyone?). Instead, you’ll leave the theater with a smile on your face and a song stuck in your head.
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