HAIRSPRAY

Director: Adam Shankman

Stars: John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Nikki Blonsky, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Zac Efron, Brittany Snow, Elijah Kelley

Year: 2007

Rating: PG

Another film I fought long and hard NOT to see, Hairspray turns out to be a fun, colorful, and very cool film - a rather "cleaned up," almost Disney-esque version of the original John Waters version (a brilliant film). This Hairspray doesn't have the quirks and edginess of Waters' original (and those who saw this version first - and liked it - probably won't like Waters' version as much, if at all) ... nor does it have Divine, the outspoken and wickedly funny Edna who (along with Ricki Lake) made the first film so much fun. But the 2007 version has a lot going for it, including some excellent musical numbers and one heck of a great cast.

Nikki Blonsky stars as the heavyset teenaged girl Tracy Turnblad - a much gentler, more soft-spoken yet still strong version of the character Ricki played in the original. Here, it's 1962 and Tracy's obsession is the same: every day she races home with her best friend Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes, perfect in the part) to watch "The Corny Collins Show" on her local station in Baltimore. Sort of an "American Bandstand" for the high school set, the live broadcast is hosted by hottie Corny Collins (James Marsden, who with each role proves himself more chameleon-like in his craft), and features local high school students who are very attractive, very well-groomed dancers. Tracy wants on the show bad; in fact, she wants to be a regular dancer on the show - and when the opportunity to audition comes up, it's all she can do to beg her overprotective mother (John Travolta, not only in a fat suit but also in drag) to allow her to try out.

But the lead female dancer on the show - and currently reigning Miss Hairspray - is Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow) ... a mean-spirited Barbie doll with money and a mother (Michelle Pfeiffer, who just chews up the screen here every time she's on it) who happens to be the station manager of the television station Corny Collins' show is broadcast from. Amber wants none of the short, overweight and obviously-from-the-wrong-side-of-the-tracks Tracy, and indeed Tracy's initial audition for the show is pretty much a disaster that leaves the girl leaving with both her hopes and self-esteem crushed.

Which is where Link Larkin (the almost-pretty Zac Efron) - lead male dancer and Amber's boyfriend - steps in. He likes Tracy, loves her talent ... and through a twist of fate, so does Corny Collins, who happens to catch Tracy's moves and puts her on the show. Soon Tracy outshines Amber in popularity - so much so, she even threatens Amber's crown for this years' upcoming Miss Hairspray pageant on the show.

But Tracy has other things on her mind. Corny Collins' show is segregated; Black dancers are restricted to only being able to appear on the show one day out of the month - and even then, are relegated to their own cordoned-off space where they are not allowed to interact in any way with the white cast members. This infuriates Tracy - and it doesn't sit too well on the shoulders of local singer/celebrity Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah), either, whose son Seaweed (Elijah Kelley) dances on the show. In 1962 Baltimore, such things just aren't done - but when Tracy decides to use her fame and stature to try and integrate "The Corny Collins Show" for good, she's in for a fight that results in her being wanted by the police for a trumped-up assault charge.

The film's "message" about integration in the 1960's is generously laced with plenty of humor, and even more music and dance (seriously, I think a number or two could have been cut from the film - or maybe a couple of numbers shortened - and it would have been just as good). The cast is brilliant - even John Travolta, who I was so dreading in the film (just from the still photos, I thought the makeup and such looked fake as hell - but in the film, it pretty much works). Travolta is no Divine, but he puts Edna over well. Very well, and even I have to admit I was impressed. Nikki Blonsky is wonderful - full of life, energy and heart - and she's backed up by a terrific cast and skillful direction that make the film a lot of fun to watch from start to finish.

As long as I can keep it separate in my head from the original Waters' film - and they're just different enough in tone, I think I can - then I can honestly say I liked this version a lot. Maybe not quite as much as the first - but this film is just plain fun, and full of music that is toe-tappingly addictive. A real time. **** - Reel Awesome