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Kathy invited me to go with her to an advanced screening of Hairspray.

The cons:

1. John Travolta. I had steeled myself for The Fat Suit, and eventually got something close to used to it. It turned out to be not nearly as horrifying as the man's singing. He was trying desperately to stay in his mealy-mouthed faux-Southern "character" voice, and the result wasn't even bad enough to be good, the way Harvey Fierstein's voice is; it was weak, inaudible at times, and wrenched me right out of every song that he had to sing in. The worst miscasting I've ever seen.

2. It was a preview screening, and thus filled with hard-core fans (and their boyfriends.) Many of the hard-core fans of this musical are preteen girls. Two of these sat directly behind me. I would have been charmed by their enthusiasm, were it not so loud and constant and shrill. Screaming every single time Zac whatshisname was on screen has resulted in the further hastening of my growing deafness. I had to restrain myself from slapping them.

3. A couple of great songs were cut. Yes, this always happens in a screen adaptation of a stage musical. Still, I missed them.

4. The theatre was packed, and Kathy and I missed the entire first song from being on line at the concession stand. I will see the movie again. Which leads me to...

The pros:

1. Everything else about the film. Feel-good movie of the summer (behind Rataouille, in a class of its own.) Nikki Blonsky is adorable. Didn't even hate Amanda Bynes (didn't love her either, but she served.) Allison Janney, although woefully underused, owned every scene she was in. Queen Latifah, although too young for the role, is Queen Latifah. Christopher Walken is Christopher Walken. Seeing him make hungry eyes at Travolta in a fat suit qualifies him for some sort of Oscar.

It's a fun movie musical that is somehow not ruined by the horror of John Travolta. It will bear repeat viewing, and DVD-owning. It makes me want to go buy a lemon chiffon gown and ask a boy to the prom.

Labels: you can't stop the movie from sucking john travolta

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