Mattie: Hi Patty. Mattie. The other day you recommended a movie to me, but I forgot what it was. Hairdo, or something like that?
Patty: Hairspray. Did you ever watch American Bandstand when you were young?
Mattie: Sure did. I loved it.
Patty: Well, Hairspray is a take-off on that show. Bandstand was set in Philadelphia; Hairspray is set in Baltimore, and Corny Collins is the Dick Clark figure.
Mattie: So why did you like it?
Patty: Well, it’s fun, and it has a good underlying message. It’s about an overweight girl named Tracy who’s a great dancer. She wants to dance on the Corny Collins show, but a snooty, racially prejudiced upper-class woman blocks her in favor of her own daughter. Tracy hooks up with some black kids who love to dance, and they start a move to integrate the TV show. It’s not really political, though; it just emphasizes what black and white people can do together. The acting is absolutely terrific, and there’s good singing and dancing.
Mattie: Oh, yeah … isn’t that the movie where John Travolta plays a woman?
Patty: Yep. He plays Tracy’s mother, but there’s nothing offensive in that. I think he just took it on as an acting challenge. The movie does get a little raw at times, but it’s rated PG.
Mattie: Sounds like a winner. Want to go see it again?
My Rating: 3 ¼ stars
No comments:
Post a Comment