Film Reviews

Hairspray

• Rating:
• Director: Adam Shankman.
• Starring: Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Michelle Pfeiffer.
• Details: US / 117mins (PG).

This remake of John Waters' (who makes a cameo here as the flasher) 1988 cult classic is, next to winning the lotto, a perfect tonic for the blues. Set in Baltimore in 1962, this musical sees happy-go-lucky plump teenager Tracy Turnblad (Blonsky) dream of dancing on the post-school TV dance show - hosted by the aptly named Corny Collins (James Marsden) and managed by the bitchy Velma Von Tussle (Pfeiffer). Tracy hopes to change the show's outlook on black people who only get to appear once a month (Negro Day) and never with white people. However, her mother Edna (Travolta) fears that she will be ridiculed dancing next to the 'beautiful people'. One of the most enjoyable and hilarious musicals in recent history, Hairspray is as witty and funny as they come. Waters' odd sense of humour is on show here - in a somewhat watered-down form, however - as Hairspray attempts to appeal to all ages. And it certainly does that. For a newcomer, Nikki Blonsky takes to the screen like a seasoned pro, exuding confidence and warmth, and is uproarious as the "chubby communist girl" with "inappropriate hair height". Her breezy nature seems to have influence the rest of the cast as everyone involved weighs in with a fine performance: Marsden camps it up, Walken and Travolta seem to be having the time of their lives and even the usually annoying Amanda Bynes will force anyone to give her a second chance. The only downside is that Hairspray's breathless pace sags in the last fifteen minutes as the race issue gets a little heavy, but it rallies again before the end.

Review by Gavin Burke