Hairspray

With no idea what the movie was all about, I was happy to discover that it was wonderful to watch. Hairspray revolves around the story of a young girl, Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky), who dreams to be part of “The Corny Collins Show,” the famous dance TV show. Normally, Tracy shouldn’t fit it and there lies the beauty of the story. From “Good morning Baltimore” to the last song (I can’t remember it, sorry), I was able to enjoy the story, the songs, the acting, etc.

John Travolta did well as the mother of Tracy. Some may say that he is not so convincing, but then knowing that it is him playing the role made it more interesting and funnier. There is grace in his steps and his facial expressions were endearing. I think he did great. Christopher Walken’s role as a dense yet caring father is a departure from his usual kontrabida roles. I love seeing his smile since it starts from his lips and crinkles up to his eyes. It was remarkable to see the handsome (he really is!) face of James Marden (Cyclops) and discover his talents in singing and dancing. Who would believe that he could do both? Another surprise is Michelle Pfeiffer and her lilting voice as she reminisced about her Ms. Baltimore days.

It even tackled serious issues such as the integration of the blacks and whites in performing TV shows, going after your dreams even if everyone is saying that you are not entitled to have them, and also stepping out of your comfort zone to discover what the bigger world could offer. It presented the reality that it is possible for the “different” to defeat the mainstream (especially regarding our idea of beauty), for love to see beyond skin color or physical distinction, even for children to go beyond their parents’ limited dreams for them.

True, it somehow has the Hollywood formula of a happy ending but hey, these things do happen in real life. And I do love leaving a cinema with a happy feeling. Even if only for the beauty of the songs.