Hairspray on DVD (2007)

Hairspray

A customer from Taunton , 11/12/2007

What a load of crap! I turned this film off after 15 minutes. don't waste your time, avoid at all cost.

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The worst film ever - I loved it

Alec from England , 22/07/2007

I'm completely lost. On paper this has all the wrong things in a movie. The acting is dreadful, the singing awful, the dancing made me embarrassed to watch it. It has more cheesy lines, and more cliches than is good for you average person, and it an far too obvious political message behind it. I never want to see this movie again, and I would never recommend it to anyone........

But....... I loved it! I haven't laughed so hard at the cinema for years, it was a piece of comical genius. Somehow they have managed to take all that insanity, all that rubbish and make something amazing out it of. John Travolta is incredible, and Nikki Blonsky has such charm about her you don't know whether to laugh or cry. Somehow it just all works.

Go and see it (but don't tell anyone that I told you to)

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You won't want to stop the beat

JJTimothy from Chilton, County Durham [Highly rated reviewer] , 03/08/2007

In early '60s Baltimore, a city plagued by random musical numbers, all the hep kids love the local weekday afternoon song and dance TV show sponsored by Clutch Hairspray and hosted by Corny Collins (all-singing, all-dancing, all-cheesy-grinning James Marsden- I for one will never see X-Men in quite the same light again!) When perpetually cheerful Tracy Turnblad, one of the Corny's biggest fans and that's not just an expression, hears that the show is auditioning dancers she leaps at the chance shaking up friends, family and the TV studio and opposing segregation along the way before differences are resolved by more singing and dancing.

Like The Producers (2005) this is based on a stage musical adapted in turn from an earlier film with the stage choreographer given the megaphone for the film version. Though funny and exuberant Hairspray lacks Mel Brooks' manic brilliance of course but Adam Shankman's light, sure touch is more than adequate compensation carrying the film along with pace and style. By contrast The Producers showed little directorial flair coasting on the inherent quality of its material.

On screen it's impossible to tell who's having the most fun. John Travolta seems more at home in a fat-suit and sequined dress than I would ever have thought possible as Tracy's reclusive mother, blossoming when she finally lets her hair down (or, more precisely, combs it up), and how Michelle Pfeiffer managed to keep her face straight whilst vamping her way through “Miss Baltimore Crabs” might become one of the great mysteries of the 21st Century. Nikki Blonsky as Tracy has a clear, pretty voice made for belting out the cheerful songs and twirls and bounces with such energy and enthusiasm it's impossible not to smile, in fact all involved acquit themselves well though I wished Christopher Walken and Alison Janney had more to do. I could criticize cardboard characters, one note performances or thin plotting but this is a musical and when a film offers this much good-natured fun that would just be ungracious.

Funny, ebullient and all heart. Enjoy.

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Definately not one for the can...

PaulaWestwood from Ashton-Under-Lyne [Highly rated reviewer] , 01/08/2007

Just about everything about this shouts cheese, its unquestionably inane, daftly cast, and weirdly choreographed.. But it adds to its charm,

an almost perfect 50's/60's razz fest that will have you singing the tune for ages after the credits have rolled and having the ocasional chortle to yourself. You will wonder why you watched it, but then wonder, hey why not ! Well worth a watch, recommended.

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Dreadful, just dreadful

samanthaD from Rhyl [Highly rated reviewer] , 01/07/2008

What a horrendous film! 2 hours of my life I won't ever get back! shocking on ALL levels, muscially, lyrically, tunefully.... do NOT bother!

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Great

A customer from London , 25/05/2008

I really loved it, I especially liked John Travolta's character and the music was pretty good too.

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