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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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- frankz said...
- Posted on Aug 15 2007 15:43 seeing it soon cant wait 2 see it looks brill xxx
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- AIMEE said...
- Posted on Aug 15 2007 14:17 this film ws wicked i love all the songs.... totally gonna buy it whn it cms out
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- LiL - Kempey said...
- Posted on Aug 15 2007 11:21 i loved it !!!!!!!!!!!!!! it woz totally brilliant!!!!!!
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- kerrie said...
- Posted on Aug 14 2007 20:52 Ab Fab!!!!! Went to see the film on saturday and going again tommorrow. Am in love with Zac........... Edna was brill and Tracey, i want some of what she's on! Songs are fab and came away feeling great
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- keira said...
- Posted on Aug 14 2007 17:44 what can i say? zac efron - FIT! john travolta - OUT DID HIMSELF! THE WHOLE MOVIE WAS FAB N THAT NEW GURL NIKKI BLONSKY WAS SO GOOD IN THE FILM! CANT W8 TO SEE THE ORIGNAL IN BROADWAY
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- Carly Simmons said...
- Posted on Aug 14 2007 09:04 omg the film hairspray is like so amazing!!!! i cant wait to see it again! and zac efron looks amazing in this film too!
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- joe said...
- Posted on Aug 13 2007 19:08 the movie was so rubbish. seriously i thought it would be good every one at the cinema was like crap film some people even walked out in the middle of the film ount of 10 it is a 0
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- A.K said...
- Posted on Aug 13 2007 14:38 this movie was crap!!!! the actin was good but the story of it was STUPID! the songs wasted my time aswell!
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- Sian said...
- Posted on Aug 13 2007 13:47 The songs in this film are the best and seeing John Travolta as a woman is prbably a once in a life time chance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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- Hannah Boynton said...
- Posted on Aug 13 2007 11:03 Okay i am doing another review. Because it was amazing, me and my friend emily, was singing along on the first night, and the film is amazing. I would advise anyone to see it. I'm going to see it again, Its an amazing film. Zac efron looks so hot in it, ;)
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- kirsten huge zac efron fan said...
- Posted on Aug 12 2007 23:48 i think hairspray is class especially since it's staring zac efron !
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- bla bla bla said...
- Posted on Aug 12 2007 19:49 i belive to off heard tht the flim is very very good not seen it yet but going to
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- kate said...
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Posted on Aug 12 2007 19:13
hiya hairspray is awsome apart frm the fact tht zac efron kisses all them girls aniway i wud recomend it 2 ani1 espescially girls u have 2 go and see it!!!!!!! john travolta is realy funny in it!!!
=] it is now 1 of my favourite films!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - Report as inappropriate
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- ANNA!!!!! said...
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Posted on Aug 11 2007 21:53
I loved hairspray!! it was ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!! its the best film out at the minute, you should defo go and see it! its my FAVOURITE film!
DON'T MISS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
=D - Report as inappropriate
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- Emma said...
- Posted on Aug 11 2007 16:58 omg this film was amazing i aw it last nite wid me gurls lol nd the atmosphere was a real buz every one was laffin and enjoying it to the full.. one of the best movies ever been out!! and zak effron omg he was gr8 and we can forgt about john travolta he was gr8 nd well funni xxx
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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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