HAIRSPRAY

I LOVED this movie. It stayed very true to the original production and I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard. I was hesitant about John Travolta's performance at first because in interviews he said that he insisted on playing Edna like a woman rather than as a man playing a woman - I mean the role has been forever immortalized by the great Divine and of course my idol Harvey Fierstein. Travolta's performance works though (although his thick Baltimore accent makes it hard to understand some of the dialogue) and I found his Edna quite charming.

The rest of the cast is terrific - Christopher Walken as Wilbur is terrific, Elijah Kelley as Seaweed will have a long film career after this one, Michelle Pfeiffer having a blast I'm sure playing Velma von Tussle, the great Allison Janney who steals every scene she's in ("Devil child!"), gorgeous Zac Efron who is an inspired choice as Link and Amanda Bynes is dead on as Penny.

The two performances I had a little trouble with were Queen Latifah (whom I normally ADORE) - I felt like she didn't have that extra oomph to play Motormouth Maybel - maybe that's just because in the show the role is played by a very soulful almost gospel-like singer but Latifah does what she can. Nikki Blonsky has a great voice although I could tell this is her first movie but she did win me over at the end of the movie and her dancing rocks!

Go see Hairspray and have a good old time!