Film student review - Hairspray Reviews

Usually when I go see a movie I become irretated by the slightest comment or whisper sized conversation that may emerge from any of the seats surrounding my own, but this time I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by an entire theater ready not only to enjoy themselves but to also envolve themselves into the movie they were about to see. With the clapping, whooping, and hollering that was going on around me I began to see that it was exactly the same way I felt about this great film, Hairspray. Hairspray is absolutely the most fun I've ever had at the movies. And while it may not be the original, since the original Hairspray debuted back in 1988 and the broadway musical short there after, it's defenitely a great hybrid. And while it may lack the beautiful camera movements and visuals of Chicago, it makes it up in sheer fun. This version is definetely less dark than John Water's 1988 version but for good reason; Adam Shankman, the film's director, by making his version more "bubble gum", has made this musical and film's apeal much broader, going beyond the traditional musical lover and has made it appealing to everyone old and young alike, thus making this film one that the entire family can enjoy. Watching this film took me back to the year 2005, when the only two believable on screen romances where between two cowboys on a certain montain and between a woman and an enourmous king ape in Brokeback Mountain and King Kong. I say this because we've all heard the hype over John Travolta's transformation into Edna, the overweight jolly mother of the film's heroine. Watching the film, I completely forgot that a man was playing the role of this sweet and motherly woman and the romance that comes through the screen with Edna and her husband, played by Christopher Walken, is not only believeable but envied. Goes to show what two great actors can achieve. Finally the film's star is Tracy played by newcomer Nikki Blonsky. Nikki's energy and love for the material is sensed everytime she gets to dance her little chubby heart out, a visual "Thank You For The Part" to the director and producers. This movie had me grinning like an idiot from beginning to end and by the end I was also clapping, hooping, and hollering. From "Good Morning Baltimore" to "You Can't Stop The Beat" I hope you have a great time at the theater watching this awesome movie, and if at some point you feel like clapping along or yelling out the occasional "YEAH!!!", do it, it'll only make it better.