done right

One of my favorite movie experiences is when you go to see something, and you have a little bit of trepidation....and then it is better than you even dreamed! Yes, I take movie watching that seriously. (I am not proud of it....bit at least I am honest!) My birthday is this weekend, so the roommate and I (with his friend Alex) started the weekend off right by going to see HAIRSPRAY on Friday night. This movie version of the stage show based on a John Waters' movie was done right. Newcomer Nikki Blonsky is so fresh and lovely as the zaftig Tracy. She has a gorgeous voice, and brings a sweetness to the part that is just a joy to behold. Elijah Kelly brings some fabulous funk (don't judge me!) as Seaweed, and Zac Efron is appropriately dreamy as Link Larkin. John Travolta pulls off the cross-dressing to bring a surprisingly deep Edna to the screen, and Christopher Walken is both creepy and sweet as the understanding dad. The biggest treat for me is the gorgeous James Marsden who has a voice made of chocolate, and the dreamy eyes to match. Full of energy and life, HAIRSPRAY captures the heart of the stage play, and translates well to the screen. Yes, it does get preachy at times, and the integration message is playing loud as hell, but the movie is just so much fun that these don't seem to bring it down. John Waters' may have the best cameo in the history of time....and my favorite line in the stage play is alive and well in the movie. (Look for it when Seaweed is freeing Penny from her bedroom. It mentions the word ghetto.....) I honestly spent the entire movie smiling at the screen, and hoping that this is the first of many movie musicals to come.

Final thoughts: It is done right. Run, do not walk to the theatre and check it out!

photo credit: http://www.movieweb.com/