Dull script and mindless way of delivering the message. 'Hairspray' fails to meet my expectation which was raised high after realizing the cast of the movie. Good acting but bad directing and script. What a waste of extraordinary actors. Because the story is too simple without any dynamic unfold or build-up, the whole movie feels elongated and dragged. This affects musical scenes as well. It gives me the impression that those scenes are added to fill in the blank of the story development. Great musical movies always have a solid storyline first, and music enriches, symbolizes, and decorates it. The ending, especially, is abrupt, naive, and idealistic. Race issue should be dealt with delicacy, but some scenes and set-ups regarding the issues are inappropriate. For example, Tracy misses the class, and the teacher makes her go to 'detention', and that's where she meets black students. I understand there has to be a separate setting to symbolize segregation, but when that setting becomes 'detention room' after teacher's punishment, it becomes the matter of inferiority or personal flaw for breaking the rules. Also, when black students dance, the camera magnifies the body parts and focuses on sensuality of the dance. Can the director just focus on differences rather than making judgements? This movie talks about justice and equality but with very white person's point of view.
Review of Hairspray
