Hairspray

Keeping the smile off of my face during 2007’s glorious Hairspray proved to be an impossible mission. I gave up on it pretty quickly and simply sat back and enjoyed the entertaining songs and the frenetic atmosphere of this musical comedy with a heart of gold. By the time it was all over, I had to see it again. With a core of social justice and civil rights and a whole lot of colourful fun bounding around it, Adam Shankman’s version of the 1988 John Waters comedy and the 2002 Broadway musical is simply terrific.

Hairspray stars the incredibly talented Nikki Blonsky as a high school student from Baltimore, Maryland. Together with her friend Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes), Nikki essentially lives for a local area teen dance program called The Corny Collins Show. The teens dancing on the show also attend Nikki’s school, of course, and it isn’t long before Nikki’s dreams of getting on the show become a reality and she learns about show business and prejudice firsthand.

The beauty of Hairspray lies in its colourful imagination and its poignant interpretations of life in Baltimore during the progressive 1960s. Old prejudicial attitudes are held by many of the film’s characters, such as the evil wench of a station manager Velma (Michelle Pfeiffer), while other attitudes are changing, such as those of Nikki’s parents, Edna (John Travolta) and Wilbur (Christopher Walken).

The music of Hairspray is fantastic, of course. The songs are delightful and amusing, building on the story without getting in the way of the narrative. There are no superfluous songs in the film, either, as the addictive melodies swirl around gracefully. A number of songs are oddly touching, such as the poignant “You’re Timeless to Me” which is performed by Walken and Travolta in a strangely romantic scene in the backyard of their home. The legitimate joy on Walken’s face is alone worth the price of seeing this movie.

Hairspray keys in on a number of components to life in the 1960s with rambunctious and unapologetic glee. Take for instance the existence of such a big-time local teen dance show like The Corny Collins Show. Shows like this existed in all sorts of different local markets at the time, giving local talent a place to shine with a sense of heart and hometown pride. Soon, however, Dick Clark’s monstrous American Bandstand would roll over the local shows and the kids down “at the hop” would have to compete for a larger stage. The brightness and naiveté of the local shows would be trampled.

Also compelling about the film is its take on issues of race. Queen Latifah plays the owner of a record shop and the host of “Negro Day” on The Corny Collins Show. While Corny (James Marsden) wants to get rid of “Negro Day” and simply integrate the kids, the heads of the station (and Velma) simply won’t allow such a tragedy to occur. The racial tension drives much of the action of the story and serves as a focal point to Nikki’s character as she finds unity as a cause to believe in and a cause to fight for.

It’s rather difficult not to get caught up in the contagious joy and energy of Hairspray. Having not seen the original 1988 John Waters version of the film, I can’t really do justice to any sort of comparison at this point and time. It is on my list to see, of course, and I’ll be happy to hear from anyone who’s seen both and can provide some insight as to how the two versions compare. Better yet, any fans of the Broadway musical are also more than welcome to chime in.

As it is, Hairspray stands as one of my favourite films of 2007. Its energy, its heart, and its passion make it a delightful spectacle. Nikki Blonsky and the rest of the cast were terrific, with a special nod to Travolta in drag as one of the most poignant and touching characters to hit the screen all of last year. It’s a charming film and should be seen by as many people as possible.

Trailer: