Hairspray Reviews: Critics Nearly Unanimous
The newest screen version of Hairspray has emerged as one of the most critically acclaimed films of 2007.
With a 94 Rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Hairspray ranks 8th for the year, and fourth among major releases, behind Once, Ratatouille and Away from Her. From David Ansen of Newsweek to the Boston Globe’s Ty Burr to Joanne Kaufman of the Wall Street Journal, love for this movie is just about unanimous.
LOBBY VIEW: Who would’ve guessed? Can this level of critical acclaim translate into box office dollars? A combo of strong reviews and wide exposure traditionally leads to bucks, if only from audiences wanting to find out “what’s the big deal?”
Director / Choreographer Adam Shankman took his lumps for making The Pacifier. And he acts like a wacky flake as a judge on the annoying “So You Think You Can Dance?” But Hairspray looks like a saving grace, regardless of what you think of John Travolta in drag.
Read Sean O’Connell’s 4 1/2 star review on filmcritic.com
Hear Terry Gross’ interview with Shankman on NPR’s Fresh Air
GEEK NOTE: Shankman has acted as choreographer on more than 30 films and one famous television episode: The musical entry on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” He also designed the seriously infectious dance number for Boogie Nights (And, I’m assuming, created something simple enough for John C. Reilly to actually look like he’s dancing.)
QUESTION: If you weren’t planning to see Hairspray, will you now? TELL US
If you have seen it, send us your 25 Words Or Less Review.
Other Posts of Interest
- HAIRSPRAY Director Will Shoot PLAYING FOR PIZZA
- Review Roundup: HIGH SCHOOL 3, PRIDE AND GLORY, SAW V
- Trailer Tuesday: PROM NIGHT
- Summer 2007 Box Office Update
- Trailer Tuesday: BEDTIME STORIES vs. INKHEART
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Hairspray was really good if you love comedy and musicals. You have to see that movie before you die!!!
Hi Sarah-
Sounds like you agree with most of the critics. In your opinion, how does it compare to other comedy / musicals?
-Norm S.
I don’t know if I’ll see it, but it would help if they had the characters speaking traditional “Baltimorese” (i.e., “Ballmerese”) as John Waters did in his early flics.
This mid-Atlantic speech pattern is a distinct dialect all its own, with some characteristics taken from the Tidewater/Chesapeake coastal region, but with many pronunciations similar to the Philly accent.
Baltimoreans say “ool” or oil, “aigg” for egg, and “amblance” for ambulance, among other strange quirks of this very quaint bit of linguistic Americana. It would be nice if this new version of Hairspray attempted to get that right.
[…] :: As reported, Harry Potter suffered an unusual drop in its 2nd weekend. Hairspray had a better per-screen average, boosted by widespread positive reviews. […]
- Joe T. -
Are you from “Bawlmer” or just a linguistics freak? I happen to love dialects and languages, so I completely dig where you’re coming from. You gotta fill me in on your knowledge, man.
I’m in Boston, and if I had a nickel for every shit New England accent on film, I’d pack up and retire. Damon in Good Will Hunting and The Departed is excellent. Everyone else sucks. Every actor in Blown Away. Everyone except Wahlberg in A Perfect Storm. I could go on.
Any other regional accents we should talk about it? This could be fun. They really don’t have these conversations in LA, I’m guessing…
Thanks for coming by. See you soon.
-Norm S.
Hi Norm,
I’m not from Baltimore, but I used to live in suburban northern Virginia right outside of Washington, DC (1990-1995 and again 1998-2001), and I remember hearing the “Ballmer” accent a lot out there. In fact 3 days ago a Ballmer cabbie brought me to McCarran Airport in Las Vegas, and I nailed his place of birth right away.
You’re absolutely right - I’m a linguistics nut, freak, whatever you want to say. Back in 1988, before I even moved to Virginia for the first time, while I was staying in San Diego, I nailed someone’s Tidewater VA accent after just a few words. The guy was a brand new freind of my dad, and my dad was in shock when his buddy said I was right — not just about the state but the area of the state where he was from. My dad didn’t even know that about him yet.
It’s very subtle and shows in just a few words. Tidewater people have a slight southern accent (less southern as you go north, when you reach Baltimore, very little trace of southern). But the thing that distinguishes a Tidewater VA accent is they’ll say certain words like “about” and “house” like a Canadian. Almost “aboot” and “hoose”. But in every other respect it sounds like a light southern accent.
I also recently nailed a lady’s E. Tennessee accent after about 2 sentences.
- Joe T. -
Great stories for us language geeks, thanks for sharing. The Tidewater in San Diego story is especially impressive.
After 20 years here in Boston, I can more readily locate accents by neighborhood, but man that’s tough.
Needless to say, to your original question, I’m guessing you’re probably right about Waters’ approach being more “realistic.” At the very least, he’s so passionate about Baltimore that concern about accents would be part of his thing. I did see some footage about the film’s premiere (okay, one of them) having taken place in Baltimore. And, of course, Waters’ mom showed up.
Now I have to go identify displaced midwesterners here in New England. I’m kidding. But it’s still fun to do.
Talk to you again. See you.
-Norm S.
~joe. T~
about ur your story i’ve never heard a tidewater VA accent but i am from canada and we don’t say “aboot” and “hoose” in some parts it could be very much true but down in B.C when don’t speak like that. Not all canadians sound like just like the U.S.A we all have different ways of speaking.
[…] giving chills. Part of this is due to the creepy murderer that relentlessly chases Brittany Snow (Hairspray) around and around… her hotel room. And part of it’s due to all those high school […]
Oh My Gosh!!!! That Was the best musical I have evr been to in my life
You have got to go and see it!!! How long will it be at London for???
I will book tickets again……
If you havent seen it then you are just boring Lol not realy. But you have got to go it is phenominal!!!
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[…] but don’t hold it against him. Shankman’s vision for the latest film version of Hairspray was both a critical and box-office hit last summer (nearly $119 million in North America). Phoenix […]