Hairspray (2007)

This Movie Is About: Baltimore in the 1960s. More specifically, it's about the black and white relations in the work area. The conflict centers around the the local TV station and a happy go lucky teenager, Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) who loves the Cory Collins (James Marsden) Show. In fact, she loves it so much that's all she wants to do is dance on it. One day, the show calls an audition for a new happy girl who can do the twist and Tracy is all over it. But once she gets there, she meets the dance-Nazi, Velma Von Tussle (MIchelle Pfeiffer) and her daughter, Amber (Brittany Snow). Velma is the stage director and Amber is her prodigy. Together they wish to conquer the TV dancing world and their success all centers around the Ms. Teenage Hairspray pageant at the end of the season. Tracy desperately wants to win that pageant but has no chance now that she's stuck in detention. But when God closes the door he opens a window or so the saying goes. And Tracy meets her window in a group of African American dancers. Through them, Tracy learns a new style of dance that the TV world has never seen before giving her a chance at her dream.

You Should Watch This Movie Because: It's fun and funny. Those two reasons should be enough for anyone to watch this movie. But that's not all. Since it's based on the musical, you can expect there to be a lot of singing and even more dancing. The songs are all pretty good and catchy and gives the movie that modern feeling even though it's set in the 1960s. But that's only the first half of the movie. By the time the race issue kicks in, it starts getting grim and the drama begins. But don't worry, there is still plenty of singing and dancing during these dramatic issues dealing with society but the tone lowers a bit and really gives this film that added dimension which will please many people looking for some drama and social commentary about the 1960s.

What's Hot: Other than the singing and dancing, the story itself is very well balanced between fun and laugh out loud moments with deep and meaningful scenes which reflects the problems in the 1960s. Velma is the perfect antagonist and people will recognize her type immediately. It doesn't turn that Michelle Pfeiffer is still uber hot even for her age. Hell for any age! This film has a big cast and sometimes it's easy for people to get lost in these casts but this film avoids this problem by having it all centered around Tracy. Her actions are the ones that always takes center stage and all the characters move and play around her. It really focuses the picture and gives makes sure the audience doesn't get lost in all the mayhem. In the end, you're left with a group of characters that are defined by the way they interact with Tracy and how they respond to her change through out. It's a clever decision made by the writer and one that greatly benefited the movie.

What's Not Hot: I've been saying this about a lot of movies now and that's the ending. This film, it dragged on way too long. It just wouldn't end! I mean I love the singing and the dancing and the singing and the dancing but there is only so much I can take before it gets boring. That's the biggest problem with the film but I have a personal issue with this film. I understand that black people weren't given equal rights during this time and it's definitely wasn't right and it's still not right in many parts of the world. But this film makes it seem like all the white people hate black people and all the black people are really nice. That is, they make the white people seem like the enemy when really it was only a portion of the population at that time. And seriously, not all black people were that nice! Not all black people were inviting and kind to the whites. There has to be a balance there and this movie didn't show it. It showed that were white people in power that was racist and they showed people like Tracy who eventually learn about integration but they did not show that spectrum and diversity in personality with the black people which, in my opinion, isn't a fair presentation of the society in the 1960s.

Last Comments: Hairspray is a lively performance and a very well crafted social commentary on the 1960s in American. It blends in singing and dancing which is the vehicle for a much deeper theme and message. Although the characters themselves were all very stereotypical, it didn't take anything away from the experience has audiences will identify with the characters easily. Tracy and Velma are two sides of the same coin in that they are very similar in their ambition but different in the way they see the world. Protagonist VS antagonist has never been so clear in cinema and it works brilliantly. The movie does drag for parts of the film especially the end and people who don't like the happy go-lucky feel will definitely dislike this movie. But having said that, most people who like music and dance and seeing it on a big screen with colorful characters and a meaningful story line is second to none.


Breaking It Down:
Story: 8.0 (Leslie Dixon & John Waters (1988))
Direction: 9.0 (Adam Shankman)
Acting: 7.0
Cinematography: 8.0
Music/Sound: 8.8

Entertainment Value: 8.0 (not an average)