Hairspray the Movie

You can watch the trailer for Hairspray above. Just click on the player.

Yesterday Sammie and I saw Hairspray on it's opening day. Now usually, I stay away from opening days of highly promoted films. I don't particularly like crowds. This, however, was a compromise. We went to a matinee. So the crowd factor was lower.

So much publicity has surrounded hairspray, primarily the role of Edna played by John Travolta in drag. I'm not sure what I expected, but surely not a "believable" performance. After all, it was John Travolta of "Saturday Night Fever" fame.

Much to my surprise, Travolta's performance was very engaging. He made the character of Enda come to life and didn't simply present her as a caricature--something that was difficult to do considering his well known male fame.

Hairspray centers around the theme of diversity or lack thereof in the early 1960's in Baltimore. Set in a time very different that 2007, the racial equality is simply nonexistent. The prejudice slaps the view in the face from the get go.

Tracy, the main character played by newcomer Nikki Blonsky is the champion of equality, proclaiming the unthinkable when asked what her first act would be if she were President broadly states, "I'd make every day Negro day!" Now while the language of this may be dated and even offensive to some, the concept is unthinkable coming from a white girl in the early 60s. But Tracy is no ordinary character. She captures the audience's attention from the beginning with her bubbling enthusiasm for life. So, it's to the movie's credit that Tracy becomes the agent for change.

Without giving away any of the ending, suffice it to say that good does triumph over "evil," and the least do become the most. Hum. . . there's something very Biblical about that isn't there?

So, go see Hairspray and enjoy. It's a thoroughly entertaining film with an excellent message and let me know what you think about it. Can't wait to hear what you've got to say!