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"Hairspray" is easily one of the most infectious, fun films I have seen in years. I defy even the most hard-hearted musical hater to keep his or her foot from bouncing to the melody of the very enjoyable musical score. Tracy Turnblad (newcomer Nikki Blonsky) wakes up every day excited to go to school because it means she will only have a few hours to go before running home to catch her favorite television show, "The Corny Collins Show", a local "American Bandstand" type show, is on. She and her friend, Penny (Amanda Bynes), rush home after school to watch Corny (James Marsden) croon his way through a selection of great songs and introduce the rest of his dancers. Among these teens, all of which go to Tracy's school, are Amber (Brittany Snow), the daughter of the station manager, Velma (Michelle Pfeiffer), a former beauty queen who now will stop at nothing for her daughter to follow in her footsteps. But Tracy only has eyes for Link Larkin (Zac Efron), the good-looking lead crooner and boyfriend of Amber. One day, Tracy hears they will be holding an audition to replace a girl who will be taking nine months off. Her mother, Edna (John Travolta in drag), discourages her because she doesn't want her daughter upset, Tracy is a big girl and girls like her just don't get on television. But her dad, Wilbur (Christopher Waken), owner of the joke shop under their apartment encourages her to go for it and Tracy rushes down to the station. Velma quickly dismisses her. Tracy ends up I detention and meets a bunch of African American students who are trying to pass the time dancing and singing. One of these students, Seaweed (Elijah Kelly) shows Tracy some moves, which she quickly learns. The next day, Corny Collins hosts the hop at their high school and Tracy decides to do the dance she picked up from Seaweed, with his full consent. Corny hires her on the spot and she becomes a popular, regular fixture on his show. Much to Velma's chagrin. Once a month, the Corny Collins Show hosts "Negro Day" and Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah) takes over, bringing in a group of black students to dance. But Tracy doesn't understand why they have to remain segregated and tries to help change things. "Hairspray" is the latest in a growing sub-genre in Hollywood; the popular film adapted to Broadway musical and then filmed again with the Broadway score. Director Adam Shankman has created a film with such a joyous spirit it is completely infectious. Is this the same director who worked on "Cheaper By The Dozen 2" and "The Pacifier"? Has he been holding out on us? It seems impossible the same director made all of these films. "Hairspray" is really good. The entire cast is enjoyable and adds to the overall feel of the film. But you have to admit watching Christopher Walken play the husband of an overweight John Travolta is worth the price of admission alone. Christopher Walken always appears to be enjoying himself, whether he is doing a good job of creating his character or not, making him one of the actors I always look forward to watching in a film. He has done his share of stinkers, and doesn't always do such a great job of creating an interesting, different character, but he has a good time and this makes him all the more watch able. I have seen the trailer for his next film, "Balls of Fury", probably a hundred times and it always makes me laugh to see Walken in his Fu Manchu outfit. There is a scene late in the film when Wilbur and Edna dance together in their backyard, fantasizing about different types of dances. In one of these fantasies, they start to dance like Astaire and Rogers. It is simply hilarious to see Travolta, in drag, wearing a fat suit, and dancing like Ginger Rogers, complete with silvery gown, in Walken's Fred Astaire hands. Travolta is also quite good. He takes the role, historically played by the likes of Harvey Fierstein and Bruce Vilanch, and makes it interesting and even a little subtle. Edna has a phobia and has holed up in their family home for years. As the owner of Edna's Continental Laundry, she does laundry all day, a business she tells Tracy she can own. One day. If she is lucky. But Edna's clients come to her, so she never has to leave the house. She makes allusions to the fact this added to her weight gain, but Wilbur also comments that he has always loved her, preferring size 50 women, so I think her size has been a constant throughout her life, and Travolta brings this to the character, making us feel her desperation, her subtle loss of hope even if she won't show it. It won't fit. Please read the full review at thornhillatthemovies.com email this review to a friend
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