Hairspray

Hairspray (Adam Shankman, US, 2007) ★★★★

The 60s, a time which is unfamiliar for many youngsters nowadays, but the passions and dreams for the future of the youngsters then could be far more than those in the present. Set in Baltimore, this big Broadway musical hit which won 8 Tony awards, including Best Musical, is brought to the big screen finally. Originally based on the movie written and directed by John Waters in 1988, which is a satire, the musical was made warmer and brighter to the stage by the composer Marc Shaiman, lyric writer Scott Wittman and book writer Mark O’Donnell.

It’s a time when people in the U.S. still have courtesies and emphasizes on their appearances. This sets an interesting basic tone for the story. When Tracy Turnblad wakes up in the morning everyday, she dresses up big and puffy, even the same to her hair. Despite being a big girl, she is full of confidence and always dreams to be a dancer in the famous TV show. The courage of daring to dream still can be seen through some TV shows like American Idol or Project Runway in the present, but it’s definitely way different to it in the 60s. By the time when Kennedy was the president, everyone dreams of, not just becoming a star, but also a better future. Tracy takes the chance to give the audition a shot, despite of turning down and being humiliated by the producer, Velma Von Tussle, who must be a German descendent by the name and full of discrimination, her daughter Amber is one of the spotlights in the show, the host Corny Collins sees the sparkle in her and decides to hire her.

The religion and family must be also two of the things that were satirized in the original movie. Tracy’s best friend, Penny Pingleton, has a Bible-bashing mother who forbids her all the time. But later she turns out falling in love with a black classmate, Seaweed, and finds what she wants and believes eventually. In Turnblad family, Edna worries that her baby girl might get hurt by her appearance, so she protects her just like any other parents at the time or nowadays. But she could never possibly dream of that Tracy gets to fulfill her dream to be on TV, and that encourages her to do things she would never dare to do. Women started to find their other ways besides just being a housewife at the time. It can be seen through the two main mom characters. And husband stopped to fool around and was behaved like Edna’s husband, Wilbur, who’s unmoved by the capitation of Velma.

It was also a time of Martin Luther King, Jr., his devotion to the American Civil Rights Movement touched many people that stood up for being treated unfairly. One of the hosts of the TV show, the black singer Maybelle, reflects the black people started to get valued. Although Tracy got the chance uneasily, when she hears they removed the schedule for Maybelle, despite she could lose the dream and the lover boy she’s madly in love with, Link Larin, the hottest singer of the show once for all. She’s still willing to do the right thing and join the illegal protest parade. The sense of justice transpires by the characters gradually, and their sincere devotion reminds us that we exactly lack of this kind of courage and decency in the modern society. And the discriminations that should have been wiped out a long time ago still exist.

No one could ever imagined that this is from the same guy who directed the cheesy floppy movies such as “The Wedding Planner” and “Bringing Down the House,” Adam Shankman finally did something right, but very few would know that he has also been the choreographer for tons of movies, so there's nothing else easier for him to do than a musical. Thanks to this movie, a bunch of out-of-date big stars came back from the dead. John Travolta is stunning by cross-casting as Edna. Michelle Pfeiffer delivers her best performance as a tricky woman in a very long time. Queen Latifah is as incredible as usual. Christopher Walken is hilarious in the role to co-act with Travolta. They are one of the coolest screen-duos this year. Amanda Byrnes, James Marsdan, Brittany Snow, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney and Zac Efron, who shined as well in Disney’s “High School Musical,” ensemble as a great cast. And of course, Nicky Blonsky, who got chosen for the leading role Tracy, stared wonderfully throughout the entire movie.

It’s a delightful musical that makes you retrospect if you have lived through the time and makes you kindle the eager spirit in your heart if you missed the time. “Hairspray” is not only a story full of energy but also has the messages, despite that some are harmless political incorrect, of hope and love. If you dare to chase your dream, then you already succeed.