"Hairspray" and female Travolta win over critics
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Featuring the unlikely trio of John Travolta as a woman, Michelle Pfeiffer as a racist and a chubby singer as its star, "Hairspray" debuts in movie theaters on Friday aiming to be a box office hit -- again.
The movie musical is based on a successful Broadway show of the same name which, in turn, stems from film director John Waters' 1988 offbeat comedy about a teen-ager who longs to dance on a Baltimore television show that vaguely resembles the legendary "American Bandstand."
The film's makers, including director Adam Shankman, have freshened this "Hairspray" with a young cast and a fast pace set to 196Os music. But it retains an edge by sticking to Waters' theme of telling how it feels to be an outcast, critics say.
Shankman told reporters the film's story of inclusion and tolerance offers "a beautiful message wrapped in crazy paper." Former child star Amanda Bynes, who has a key role in the movie, added, "We have something for everybody."
By a large proportion, reviews are strong, and that's good for box office prospects because for "Hairspray" to match the success of its predecessors, it will need to lure children and adults to theaters for the next several weeks.
"Hairspray" debuts between the proverbial rock -- the second week of smash hit "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" -- and hard place, Adam Sandler's comedy "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry."
Those two films are expected to vie for No. 1 on box office charts.
BIG HAIR, LONG LEGS?
Paul Dergarabedian of ticket sales tracker Media By Numbers said "Hairspray" could have a long run if audiences see it as a fun alternative to a typical summer of action flicks like "Transformers" and goofy comedies such as "Chuck and Larry."
"The movies that have had legs this summer are the ones that are unique or different like a 'Knocked Up' or '1408,'" he said. "That does not mean they are going to open up to record-breaking numbers, but they are going to play well."
"Hairspray" stars unknown Nikki Blonsky, a 19-year-old from Long Island, New York, in the starring role of Tracy Turnblad, an atypical teen who loves to dance and learns -- from the black kids in school -- how to shake it with style.
With new moves, stylish hair and a bubbly personality, Tracy catches the eye of Corny Collins (James Marsden) and wins a spot on his dance show.
Immediately, Tracy is in with the popular kids, but her new black friends are still out. When she tries to get them all on the show, she is blocked by its racist producer (Pfeiffer).
Enter Travolta as Tracy's hefty mom, Edna, who supports her daughter.
Dancing, singing and playing a full-figured woman was a big risk for the Hollywood A-lister who starred in the biggest film musical of all time, "Grease," Travolta said.
In the first movie and on Broadway, Edna was played by gay men in women's clothing. But Travolta said he refused to give a vaudeville-style impersonation of a drag queen.
"I said I'd have more fun trying to fool (audiences) into thinking I was a real woman," he said.
Travolta's take on Edna has mostly worked for critics, and whether audiences buy the act is key to the film's box office success, industry watchers said.
"It's not that you ever forget that you're looking at John Travolta -- you don't, really. It's just that within minutes of meeting Edna, you've completely forgotten that John Travolta was ever a man," wrote Los Angeles Times critic Carina Chocano.
