Review: Hairspray

HAIRSPRAY
When the year began, I must say with utmost sincerity that it was to be one of the most hyped up year for movies ever since The Lord of the Rings Trilogy ended. Very few years have thus for presented a platter of the most tantalizing dished of Hollywood goodies as this year had.
It is then in that view all the greater a tragedy that Hollywood has done nothing but leave behind it a trail of complete disappointments.
Not to say that the big names of Summer (Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Spiderman 3 and Shrek 3), a cornucopia of trilogies, was bad. I enjoyed Pirates; Shrek 3 made me laugh and Spiderman was a joy for the inner geek. That doesn't mean they were good either. Pirates was convoluted and trashed by Hollywood's desire for the big bucks, Spiderman was too flashy and over-the-top and Shrek... well it's getting too old too fast.
It is then with the greatest desire that I announce that one of the films I had been anticipating for this year redeems the farce of these films. Although I cannot say that it was the first film of the year to meet my expectations (that honor goes to the bloody joy that is 300) but it is also the first film to do so by appealing to my inner artist rather than showing me a lot of gleeful killing (Don't get me wrong though, I love the blood).
But before I go on I must first admit, Hairspray holds a deep place within my heart. Watching the trailer alone brings back memories and next to Chicago, it has the greatest hold on me in regard to me High School life experience. But do not regard that as bias, rather regard it as even higher standards set for this film. And I must say, upon learning that the same man directed The Pacifier I was all set for disappointment.
But that it did not do. The music was great, the dance moves terrific, the acting superb and it does this grand show while teaching us all an important lesson of prejudice, without becoming any notch above preachy.
I must admit however that the songs have become way too mainstream, it doesn't pack quite the ounch as I thought it would. Oh I assure you the songs are terrific, I found myself listening to the soundtrack for weeks. But despite its grandeur it feels off-beat to the sense that it does not bring the same edge as the original, though it does make for it by greater melody and adding a touch of gentle honey-sweet tenderness absent in the original.
So the music was superb, all well and good. But do the performers move to the same tune? The answer is an assured yes, but it's not the best. The dances are of course spectacular, any where short of that level would ruin the film for me. But the focus of the dance wasn't to amaze and wow but simple rather to entertain and before you scratch your heads on that I must say that yes there is a difference. One could make precise and complex choreography, intense and dramatic moves that could stun the audience. Hairspray nears that point but it abruptly stops shy of it, rather content at simple putting together dances that keeps the eyes dancing, the lips smiling and the toes tapping. But what may be one of their bigger flaws can also be one of the better assets.
You see, and I say this at the bottom of my heart, I was actually more delighted by the dance moves of HS 4-A (you guys still amaze me to this day I tell you that :D ) than the movie. Why? Their moves were simpler, relying more on pure energy than anything else. Which is why the dances were better, the fact that everyone was out there doing the same movements to such a powerful tune, add the fact that they really were possessed by some gleeful madness makes it all the more breath-taking. BUT!!! The fatal flaw was that I was totally oblivois of everything else in the play, even the props (I loved the costume and props guys... but Anna, keep yourselves away from black make-up hahah).
That is a mistake that the movie safely strayed far away from, giving much more attention to its heart-warming yet simple story and of course to what IS the film;s greatest asset--- the actors.
Nikki Blonsky is pure joy as Tracy Turnblad- the slightly over-weight yet spunky girl of 1962 Baltimore. She possesses every scen with innocent goodness that strayed form the rowdier original version of Tracy.
Michelle Pfeiffer is just tasty as the villain, she plays with such such poise and elegance and charming cruelty that she steals just about every scene.
Zac Efron makes a good Link, a much better role to the bland Troy Bolton of High School Musical. He is actually showing some potential here.
Christopher Walken is filled with childish mischief, James Marden acceptable as Corky, Amanda Bynes is a great perky Penny. Brittany Snow is a lovable mean dumb blonde. Queen Lattifah owns her character, I cannot imagine an actress more suited. and ELijah Kelly is very cool.
But the show stopper would be John Travolta in the drag as mother Edna Turnblad. While the original was hoarse, coarse and a complete man at first look, John Travolta instead tries to disappear under the wig and act as a real sweet, tender and sensitive mother should, a far cry from the original but it works like how a John Travolta charm should. Though his/her hip moves are no Grease dances, his acting alone while swinging those gayish legs and swaying those tender hands more than makes her quite the star.
Overall the movie was highly entertaining and add the fact that it actually had strong content, I would have to say that it is by far among the better films of the year. Sure enough it's not exactly Oscar material (the best modern reincarnatin of the musicals still belongs to Chicago) but it does pretty much beat the hell out of the recent pop-outs such as The Producers, High School Musical and Phantom of the Opera (Great value, still short of the magic). This little film packs a whopper.

9 out of 10