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Bookmark this pageHairspray (2007)
Director: Adam Shankman
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
User reviews of this film
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- hannah said...
- Posted on Jul 21 2007 14:00 i think hairspray will be a gr8 film its got zac efron (gr8 choice) and Britney snow (good actress) so i cant wait to see it 5 star film thats what it is lol !!
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- sara said...
- Posted on Jul 21 2007 13:21 this looked wiked, im going to see it today and i cant wait.. i totally love zac efron he is cool i really cant wait to go and watch it.. i will tell you what i think once ive seen it
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- andy bryan said...
- Posted on Jul 21 2007 13:18 A treat not to be missed.
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- andy bryan said...
- Posted on Jul 21 2007 13:17 I didn't like the Broadway show. My preconception was that John Travolta was miscast and I don't particularly like Zac Efron or Christopher Walken. I work in this business and I saw this film in preview. HAIRSPRAY on screen is something special It is a real musical film and reminded me of why I grew up loving musical films as a child of the 60's, and is a breakaway from the indisputably ghastly screen offerings of Evita, Phantom of the Opera and The Producers, all movies which failed to hit the mark. HAIRSPRAY has pace. It does not feel like you are watching a filmed stage production - it has b een reinvented for the screen. Part of the credit must go to the technical department, who actually make sure it sounds like they're singing up there in those places and not consciously studio dubbed like EVITA and PHANTOM where image and sound seem to be at odds. I was captivated from beginning to End. Nikki Blonsky is warm and energetic; Zac Efron is everything a Hollywood heart-throb should be and has a screen presence which surprised me. Despite the hair and cartoon-like costuming, the movie avoids being pastiche or parody, the visuals taking us to the place rather than standing as an overwhelming period barrier between the material and the audience. And in fact, this element above all is what makes it work. THose people in Baltimore up there on that screen are in a real-life drama. It is for us, the audience, to find the humour and pathos from this which makes any entertainment experience memorable. EVery performance is played for truth and in TRavolta's case - understated to the point that had a woman given this performance she would undoubtedly walk away with a Best supporting Actress Oscar. It is this truth combined with a zappy score, great dance numbers which happen for a reason and all the technical aplomb which makes this film a joy to watch. I left the cinema and would have gladly purchased a ticket to the next screening.
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- Emily Leask said...
- Posted on Jul 21 2007 11:28 ZAC EFRON IS A DED GUD ACTOR IT WILL BE AMAZING TO SEE AND IM GGOIN TO SEE IT TODAY IT LUKS DED FUNNY BY THE TRAILERS AND I LYK THE IDEA THAT JOHN TROVALTA IT A WOMEN LOL
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- Benedict said...
- Posted on Jul 21 2007 02:00 Atleast we all know for a fact that Zac Efron is, like, an AMAZING mimer!!! Yep, I sure wouldn't miss seeing him mime to perfection yet again.
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- Loretta said...
- Posted on Jul 20 2007 18:04 Joe, what's not to like about John Travolta. He's been around since "Welcome Back Kotter" and is a fine actor. I don't know if I'll be able to take him playing a woman because he's so fine. Go see the movie and then give us your opinion of it. I'm seeing it tomorrow.
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- Joe said...
- Posted on Jul 20 2007 16:47 Well, I don't like Travolta and I can't take him seriously as an actor.
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- *T-D* said...
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Posted on Jul 20 2007 14:46
im going to see this film tonight with my girlfriends.
should be soo sooo good!
we think it looks hilarious, with what we have seen off the previews.
looks like its inbetween high school musical and grease.... mint.
il review it once ive seen it tonight.
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- Amber said...
- Posted on Jul 20 2007 14:11 Im goin 2 see hairspray on saterday 21st july and im really lookin forward to it...it looks reely good and it looks really girlie...ill reite sumemt else wen ive actually seen it sayin wt i 4t of it xxx
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- shannon said...
- Posted on Jul 20 2007 13:12 look just because you dont like t doesn't mean we shouldnt i thikn it is great and john travolta is so funny!
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- Mandie said...
- Posted on Jul 20 2007 10:47 Ive seen this film and its pretty bad tbh. i dont get why people are reviewing this if they havent seen it!! Just because it looks good it doesnt mean it IS good. ffs
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- amy said...
- Posted on Jul 19 2007 18:56 I think that da new hairspray will be fab coz all me and ma m8s r gonna c it 2mora nite, it is gr8 and all ma m8s think dat it will b gr8. cant wait 2 c it coz i luvvvvvvvv zac efron and all of ma m8s do 2 so dat is da only reason we r gonna c it!! cant wait!!
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- Hannah Boynton said...
- Posted on Jul 19 2007 18:50 Not seen the film yet, but i am seeing it tomorrow no doubt about it, i can't wait to see it, The line up is amazing, the songs and dances are super! I have half the songs on my i pod, and i will be singing along tomorrow night. I am 100% that this film will be amazing! can't wait! :D
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- Amy-Louise said...
- Posted on Jul 19 2007 18:49 I think that the new hairspray is going to be excellent and i think that zac efron is a wicked player!!!
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Cast & crew
Director: Adam Shankman
Producer: Craig Zadan, Neil Meron
Cast: Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Christopher Walken, James Marsden, Brittany Snow, Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Amanda Bynes, Elijah Kelley, Queen Latifah, Allison Janney full cast
Rated: PG
Duration: 116 mins
UK Release: Jul 20 2007
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