Sixteen years after the release of the original film, New Line Cinema is bringing a feature film adaptation of the Tony award-winning Broadway production Hairspray to life. Featuring new and original material based on John Waters' 1988 cult classic about star-struck teenagers on a local Baltimore dance show, the comedy features a remarkable collection of talent including John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, Allison Janney, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley.
The future stepdaughter couldn't wait to see this movie. She kept asking about it for months. I like to think of it as the High School Musical effect. Musicals have come back with a vengeance and the s.o.b.s decided to target young girls. I'd be a big fat liar if I tried to tell you that I didn't know all the songs from High School Musical. All of that being said - I was reluctant to say the least about going to see this movie because it looked so fluffy in the commercial and I couldn't remotely comprehend John Travolta's decision to play the role of a fat woman. However, the music and feel good vibe of the movie made it actually quite enjoyable. I am not afraid to admit that I was dancing in my chair at various points of the movie. And the bottom line is whether or not the wonderous future steppie liked it and she most absolutely did. The one thing that really does bother me about the movie is . . . . . . . who in the blue hell thought that John Travolta playing Edna Turnblatt was a good idea!?!
Even with the aforementioned worst casting ever - I strongly recommend this movie to everyone. It's a feel good movie that will have you leaving the theater with a smile on your face . . . . . even though Travolta plays a big fat woman.