Okay, just saw this on a Saturday night date. I saw the original. The lady friend had seen the original movie and the play. We both agreed that this was a likable bit of over the top corn.
There are some benefits to this one. One the whole, I liked the 1988 film better, but I think that Nikki Blonsky even improves on Rikki Lake as Tracy Turnblad. Nikki has just the right bit of upbeat, youthful enthusiasm and undefeatable spirit required for this character (Good Morning Baltimore, anyone? The scene of her singing this song at the top of her lungs while riding a trash truck on the way to school is unforgettably hilarious).
Queen Latifah is also a better Motormouth Mabel than Ruth Brown was in the original (Miss Brown was a great singer, but not much of an actress). Speaking of which, we all know that the (accurately titled) "Corny Collins Show" was based on the real "Buddy Deane Show" which was the American Bandstand of Baltimore. Conversely, Motormouth Mabel appears to be based on Paul "Fat Daddy" Johnson, a Black Baltimore DJ who appeared on the real "Negro Day" on the Deane show.
Now back to the film. For the most part, the crazy, over the top humor that made Hairspray I so successful is just crazy and over the top without as much of the humor in this one. John Travola as Edna is just plain silly, but the actor who plays "her" husband has the right amount of goofy charm to pull it off. The "Negro Day" scene is straight out of "Mad TV." Some might resent the "ghetto as a playground" idea of the film and the civil rights march scene falls flat in its attempt to be meaningful and serious, but it's heart is in the right place and Latifah works it for what she can.
The actress who plays the spoiled blonde whose mother strangles the show for what she can get seems to eerily forecast Paris Hilton.
The songs have just the right amount of cheeky goof appeal and satire of the teen dance shows of the sixties, so they work quite well.
In short, it's not a bad film, just remember to leave your brains at the door and don't take it too seriously.
There are some benefits to this one. One the whole, I liked the 1988 film better, but I think that Nikki Blonsky even improves on Rikki Lake as Tracy Turnblad. Nikki has just the right bit of upbeat, youthful enthusiasm and undefeatable spirit required for this character (Good Morning Baltimore, anyone? The scene of her singing this song at the top of her lungs while riding a trash truck on the way to school is unforgettably hilarious).
Queen Latifah is also a better Motormouth Mabel than Ruth Brown was in the original (Miss Brown was a great singer, but not much of an actress). Speaking of which, we all know that the (accurately titled) "Corny Collins Show" was based on the real "Buddy Deane Show" which was the American Bandstand of Baltimore. Conversely, Motormouth Mabel appears to be based on Paul "Fat Daddy" Johnson, a Black Baltimore DJ who appeared on the real "Negro Day" on the Deane show.
Now back to the film. For the most part, the crazy, over the top humor that made Hairspray I so successful is just crazy and over the top without as much of the humor in this one. John Travola as Edna is just plain silly, but the actor who plays "her" husband has the right amount of goofy charm to pull it off. The "Negro Day" scene is straight out of "Mad TV." Some might resent the "ghetto as a playground" idea of the film and the civil rights march scene falls flat in its attempt to be meaningful and serious, but it's heart is in the right place and Latifah works it for what she can.
The actress who plays the spoiled blonde whose mother strangles the show for what she can get seems to eerily forecast Paris Hilton.
The songs have just the right amount of cheeky goof appeal and satire of the teen dance shows of the sixties, so they work quite well.
In short, it's not a bad film, just remember to leave your brains at the door and don't take it too seriously.