Hairspray is a quirky musical comedy about overcoming segregation and racism. Overall, it's a fun little film with a good message about how beauty is more than skin deep and that a person's size or race shouldn't define them. It's a little over the top and, at times, almost unbelievable, but I think it's a good family movie and defiantly a film that kids could watch. The actors all give good performances, although I found the actor who played Tracy a little underwhelming, and John Travolta in Drag may not be for everyone. My main criticism would be that Amber Von Tussle's storyline is underdeveloped. Don't get me wrong, Brittany Snow gives an amazing performance and has a great singing voice. However, it is weird to see Brittany Snow play the stuck-up antagonist because she seems nothing like that in real life, and it is different from all the other roles she has played. However, my main problem with the character is that she doesn't get enough screen time or any explanation for why she acts the way she does. For example, in the Nicest Kids in Town music number at the start, all the characters are mean to Amber. They kick her and drop her, and it is never explained why. I get that her mom is the real villain in the story and that the film is Tracy's story. I just think if they had made Amber a more sympathetic antagonist, it would've made Amber's relationship with Tracy more interesting, the ending would've felt more genuine, and the movie would've been better overall. But all in all, it is a good kid's movie that is still relevant today. Brittany Snow's performance is just a bonus.
