GUEST COLUMN: A Movie Review of "Hairspray"
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A Movie Review of Hairspray
by Lewis Robinson
Hollywood has been churning out movie musicals for decades. While the genre experienced somewhat of a decline in the seventies, it's steadily regaining popularity. One of the most solid entries in the genre is Hairspray, the movie adaptation of the Broadway musical. If you'd like to learn more about this endlessly entertaining film, read on for a review of Hairspray.
Plot
The plot of Hairspray, while not original, is one of the most solid movie musical storylines out there. The film centers around Tracy Turnblad, an overweight teenage girl in the sixties. Tracy, who is a talented singer and dancer, dreams of starring on the Corny Collins show like some of her classmates. Unfortunately, her weight makes this nearly impossible. When cool guy Link helps get her in, she quickly becomes popular. During this transition, Tracy is introduced to the black community in her town. She comes to grips with her own privilege and tries to help out. After a long battle, and some espionage involving a giant hairspray can, the team manages to integrate the Corny Collins show. Why is the movie called Hairspray? Well, Tracy's signature hairstyle requires a lot of lift, which means she uses a ton of the signature product. Watching this flick may leave you wanting to know how to use leave in conditioner! All in all, the plot is pretty solid. It allows for smooth transitions, a believable build and a satisfying emotional payoff.
Musical Numbers
When you watch movie musicals, you're probably not doing it for the dialogue. These movies are usually best during the song breaks. Sure, not all movie musicals have fantastical song and dance sequences. Some, like the famous Sweeney Todd adaptation, involve barely any movement at all. While this can still be entertaining in its own way, Hairspray definitely doesn't fall into that category. Most of the movie is spent in a blur of peppy music and fun dance numbers. From the very beginning to the end of the credits, there are nineteen songs to enjoy. Almost all of these are instantly iconic and memorable. The songs were composed by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman for the original Broadway musical. Since the show started on Broadway, these songs leave a lot of room for lavish dance numbers and set changes. The movie definitely takes advantage of this, along with its extended abilities as a film. For instance, “Welcome To the Sixties” takes place all over town, as opposed to a couple of sets. One of the standout numbers is definitely “You Can't Stop The Beat.” The song is catchy, the dancing is contagious and the message rings clear. While the musical numbers aren't exactly subtle. each one is executed well (which is more than can be said for many modern movie musicals).
Themes
The themes in Hairspray are, admittedly, fairly obvious. However, that doesn't mean these themes aren't important or well-represented in the film. Overall, the movie seems to focus on prejudice. Both Tracy and the black community are judged based on looks. At the Corny Collins show, the black actors are only given a day to shine. There are also scenes that touch on police brutality. In fact, the movie decided to take out a song that took place in jail. Since the medium of film creates more realism, this was a great way to lend seriousness to the subject. Unfortunately, the portrayal of this theme doesn't quite hold up today. Tracy is somewhat of a white savior. She ends up being a leading figure in the protests for integration. However, the black characters are still fleshed out and active, so it doesn't feel too exploitative. In general, the themes feel well-portrayed and heartfelt.
If you're looking for a fun movie to watch, you can't go wrong with Hairspray. Grab some popcorn, hit the lights and get ready to dance!
