Acting Review:
Hairspray, oh Hairspray… the godsend that is Hairspray (2007).
Disclaimer: I love movie/musicals, so naturally, I love this film with all my heart. At a quick glance you can determine
the cast is pretty damn stellar – talents including, but not limited to, John Travolta
as a woman for some reason, Queen Latifah as Queen Latifah, Allison Janney as
the antithesis of C.J. Cregg, and Zac Efron as 1960s Troy Bolton. What’s not to
love?
As I sit here typing along to the rhythm of “You Can’t Stop
the Beat”, I can’t quite conjure up a single negative word to say about this
movie. Simply put, the actors did good (10/10 English, Vanii), and the movie is ultimately fun. While Hairspray tackles serious
issues, it does so in a twinkly lights, jazz hands kind of way. The eccentricity
of the characters is well executed by the actors, effectively creating a
harmonious (pun intended) balance between story and music. And to focus for a moment on the
star of the film, Nikki Blonsky as Tracey Turnblad, well… what a triple threat she is with her singing, dancing, and the quirky charm she brings to the role. The same goes for all of them really; effortlessly charismatic and instantly likable. The antagonists too (Michelle Pfeiffer and Brittany Snow) are characters you love to hate, a testament to the impressive casting. The acting in this film is over-the-top where it needs to be, but comparatively achieves sincerity when necessary. This idealistic ensemble, simply cannot be criticised... at least not by me.
I'll see you all next week for our final round of reviews; Beauty and the Beast. Until then, go watch Hairspray.
Signed, Vanii x
