Review: Hairspray (2007)

#95 - Hairspray


Hairspray is a Broadway show adapted for the silver screen. It follows Tracy Turnblad, a hefty girl living in Baltimore, whose dream is to dance on the Corny Collins Show and integrate the network. She lives in a segregated 1960's world, so her views on integration are frowned upon. She teams up with Link Larkin, Seaweed Stubbs, Motormouth Maybelle, and her best friend, Penny, to take over the Corny Collins Show and get rid of the awful Velma Von Tussle and her daughter, Amber.

I am going to make this review short and sweet, because this movie is fantastic. There are a few songs that I am not a fan of, but overall, the casting, choreography, music, and costumes are phenomenal.

Casting
Could not have been more perfect. I have seen this movie over 20 times since it released in 2007, and I have never once thought "Hm. That actor/actress doesn't really fit that role." Nikki Blonsky being discovered out of nowhere and being given the role of Tracy was a smart move on the part of the casting director. I could not imagine the role of Tracy being played by anyone else...except maybe Ricki Lake, but even the director recognized that and gave Ricki a cameo at the end of the film!

And let's talk about Zac Efron as Link Larkin: SWOON. He's so gorgeously perfect, that I seriously believe he was born to play the role of Link. His voice fits the role of a 1960's crooner so well. There is no doubt that he is believable as the love interest of Tracy Turnblad. I mean, look at his face...he's beautiful.

As my last comment on casting, I would like to bring up a sneaky cameo made by John Waters, the creator of Hairspray. He is the "flasher who lives next door" in the opening scene "Good Morning, Baltimore." Only a true Hairspray fan would recognize him, so I was pleasantly surprised they put him in there. After all, without his ideas back in 1988, Hairspray may have never been created.

Costumes

I'm a fan. I'm a HUGE fan. My dream is to time travel back to the late 50s-early 60s. I loved that time period - especially the styles. There isn't a scene in this film where I did not want to Google the costume designs and find out if they are for purchase. They're adorable. However, one costume choice that I did not agree with is Penny's dress in the final musical number "You Can't Stop the Beat." The dress is to die for, but the functionality of it is ridiculous. Penny and Seaweed end up on the dance floor, but all she can do is hop awkwardly around the stage. She can barely even move in it. I am not really sure why the costume was put on her for that scene. That is my ONLY critique on costumes.

Choreography

Fantastic. Love it. James Marsden is a dream.

Music

I usually fast-forward during "Big, Blonde, and Beautiful" and get really upset every time I think about the missed opportunity to put "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now" into this movie. Other than that, the music is fantastic. Love it. James Marsden is a dream.

Did I mention James Marsden is a dream? Dear gawd, he makes a suit look so good. He is the only person in this movie I love more than Zac Efron.

Overall, I give Hairspray 4.5 out of 5 stars.