 Hairspray , a remake of the 1988 John Waters film that starred a man (the late Divine) in drag, may not be as groundbreaking as the original, but it certainly is creating as much of a stir. "Hairspray is just plain fun," writes Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times, who then adds: "Or maybe not so plain. There's a lot of craft and slyness lurking beneath the circa-1960s goofiness." In fact, this Hairspray may owe more to the Broadway musical version of the movie than the original movie itself. As Jack Mathews writes in the New York Daily News: "At the price of a movie ticket, this roof-raising ode to the innocent last days of '60s rock 'n' roll is easily the best summer bargain on or off Broadway." Several critics remark that the movie's accomplishments come as a surprise. Says Carina Chocano in the Los Angeles Times: "The movie's style and exuberance torpedoed my initial misgivings within seconds." And how is John Travolta in the Divine role? Michael Phillips in the Chicago Tribune answers: "Travolta was not born to play a demure frump of either gender or any species, but when he hits a simple dance combination, suddenly you glimpse the showman within and forget about the weird voice and all that padding." Says Lou Lumenick in the New York Post: "After a few minutes, you fully accept Travolta not as a man in drag, but as an enormous woman with a heart to match." And Amy Biancolli in the Houston Chronicle remarks that "Travolta brings undeniable girlie sweetness" to the role. |
