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Hairspray (2007)

Director: Adam Shankman

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181 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Let’s get one thing clear: there is nothing questionable about heterosexual actor John Travolta clad in a fat suit, dragged up in pink sequins and breathily trilling ‘I’m the cutest chickie that you ever did see!’ There is, however, something awkward and faintly disturbing about watching his Edna Turnblad dance and duet with Christopher Walken’s Mr Turnblad dressed in toreador kitsch. Divine it ain’t. In fact, so peculiarly mannered is Edna’s transformation from chipmunky homebody to liberated blob that it’s quite impossible to forget you’re watching John Travolta in latex and, therefore, to suspend disbelief. Nor is that made any easier by uncertain, sometimes clashing performances from such other big names as Michelle Pfeiffer, Queen Latifah and indeed Walken, whose dance skills are criminally underused.

That said, this new ‘Hairspray’ – adapted from the Broadway musical based on the 1988 film – is often great fun. Though not as scabrous, as sharp or even as musically memorable as John Waters’ original, it retains much of his filthy, big-hearted sensibility (he cameos as a happy flasher) and is less deadeningly stagey than that other recent film-of-the-musical-of-the-film, ‘The Producers’. Stepping into Ricki Lake’s pumps as Tracy Turnblad – the tubby teen who takes 1962 Baltimore music TV by storm and nearly sparks a race riot by declaring ‘I wish every day were Negro Day!’ – Nikki Blonsky is unflaggingly chipper as both naive kid chastised for ‘inappropriate hair height’ and indignant civil-rights activist. Throw in plenty of sparky numbers and snarky gags and ‘that chubby Communist girl’ is hard to resist.

Author: Ben Walters

Time Out London Issue 1926: July 18-24 2007

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User reviews of this film

luminita said...

Posted on Oct 23 2010 14:53 this movie is f#**#^ up it is soooooo GAY!!!

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lulu said...

Posted on Jun 17 2009 18:20 film was crap

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Callum said...

Posted on May 03 2009 13:28 I think a lot of people forget the supporting roles in the film. James Marsden is amazing as corny collins and walken and travolta both excel. Extremely good film

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Me again said...

Posted on Oct 09 2008 16:13 I was just reading Jess's comment and I totally disagree. Hairspray is not racist it is about a white girl in 1960's america who is fighting for black rights.I think that the message in this film is fantastic that a teenage girl has more on her mind than some teenage girls and she wants to change america for the better.

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Caitlin said...

Posted on Oct 09 2008 16:10 I know this moviw was out like a year ago but everyone seems to have stopped commenting on it!!! Don't forget hairspray it was THE movie of last year. Every time I watch it I can't help smiling. Who dosen't like it??? Come on everyone don't forget hairspray!!!!!!

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tiamimi said...

Posted on Apr 06 2008 15:34 i think to say that this film is rascist is ridiculous. it is about a girl who tries to fight for black rights, set in the 60s when segregation was still happening. i think it is a great film and i loved it. tracy turnblad is very different to most musical heroines, she isn't stick thin. but quite frankly i think she is possibly the greatest musical heroine, and i think she is fighting for the rights of every other woman on this planet who isn't size zero. the film itself is brilliant - uplifting, lighthearted and cheery, but at the same time, powerful and moving with the way tracy fights for black rights and queen latifahs excellent, song 'i know where i've been'. i really great film and anyone should see it if they get the chance, it will leave you with a smile on your face and a better outlook on life :]

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Jess said...

Posted on Feb 16 2008 11:17 Hairspray is racist to black people and i`m white.

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Sir Charles Harwood said...

Posted on Feb 02 2008 13:16 What was Travolta thinking when he took this part? Why do 'serious' actors always feel a need to suddenly take on comedy roles when they can barely do serious in the first place? In my day, we used actors for acting and comedians for falling over and wearing fat suits. An utterly contemptable film which should be banned.

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Samuel Barnardo said...

Posted on Dec 24 2007 18:16 Even though I was technically intoxicated upon viewing this motion picture, I found the tunes to be brilliant. They were easy to dance to especially given my state of mind [!!]. For obvious drunken reasons, I couldn't follow the story line but, after being sick 3 times in the lavatory, i had an epifanny, and realised the brilliance of this film!! next time, i only hope i can remember it!!

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sam j wotsen said...

Posted on Dec 14 2007 15:19 the best film i have seen befor

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urciq eklwgpzq said...

Posted on Nov 04 2007 21:11 guvs nszqh vkyleg emvzcrg gkyfnbr esub mecvgh

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katie alner said...

Posted on Oct 12 2007 20:01 wonderful delite full brill funny

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Jayson said...

Posted on Oct 12 2007 15:00 What a Hoot!!!!! This film is just really good fun. The new found star is great. Puttling the original films creator, John Waters, in a cameo as a flasher was a clever twist. Comedies and musicals are very hard to pull off and make succeed, but this one does and very well.

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Kerry-Ann said...

Posted on Sep 19 2007 10:39 This film was fab!! really funny if you like musical's then def go to see it.

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kym said...

Posted on Sep 12 2007 17:28 went to see it with my mum the other week, thought it was spose be funny, it was hard work trying to stay awake. i do not reccomend it at all. too much singing n dancing

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