Nikki Blonsky stars as Tracy Turnblad – a chunky and spunky teen living in 1962 Baltimore.  Every day, Tracy and her pal, Penny (Amanda Bynes), rush home to catch the hottest teen show on television, The Corny Collins Show, where local teens dance to the latest hits and become minor celebrities in their own right.  When the show needs to hire a new dancer, Tracy is itching to try out, but she faces opposition in the form of the show’s lead dancer, Amber Von Tussle (Brittany Snow); Amber's mother and the show’s producer, Velma von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer); and Tracy’s own desire to use the scandalous dance moves she learned in detention from the city’s African American kids.

Can Tracy become one of the stars of The Corny Collins Show?

Casting John Travolta to put on a dress to play mother Edna Turnblad is what gets people to pay attention to Hairspray, but it’s everyone else that makes it a decent movie.  Director Adam Shankman sticks to a more traditional musical style, which makes Hairspray feel like the movie is stopping the action and flow to let the performances break out (and give you a chance to sneak out for a soda refill), instead of using the musical numbers to advance the action and story like recent movies such as Chicago or Dreamgirls.  It feels old fashioned.  However, this gives some of Hairspray’s best castmembers a chance to shine.

Blonsky is amazing as the young gal with a dream and enough courage to fight for it.  She takes every campy piece of dialogue and action, and sells it like a seasoned Broadway pro, as well as making Tracy a character who can overcome the jokes and stereotypes to be the most likable and admirable character you will see in most movies today. 

Sadly, Travolta has the worst voice of the cast and it shows as you hear the noticeable difference between the castmembers belting it out, and Travolta (the guy who knew how to sing in Grease) almost reading his lines instead of singing. He’s great with the dancing, and very funny portraying Edna’s more vulnerable side and neurosis about her appearance, but his performances clearly are a step below the rest and nowhere near what you would expect from the guy, especially with the overly phony fat suit and mask.

Ultimately, Hairspray is just OK because it tries too hard to appeal to all.  Traditional John Waters fans have some of the naughty and quirky humor they are looking for, but it usually gets drowned out by the mainstream comedy and music used to appeal to an audience looking for safer entertainment.  Writer Leslie Dixon (based on the 1988 film by John Waters, and the play that was on Broadway) provides some wicked dialogue making fun of racial attitudes in Hairspray, but part way through, the movie loses its edge, stops going for camp, and tries to be serious in moments such as Queen Latifah’s big song. 

Hairspray is middle of the road.

2 ½ Waffles (Out of 4)

Hairspray is rated PG-13 for language, some suggestive content and momentary teen smoking. 

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