Hairspray

jilabel wrote on IMDB:

As a HUGE fan of John Waters films, I have nothing but praise for this film. So fun, so campy, so enjoyable ( and you know...there IS a real plot inside the film. It's not just music and hair! ) The characters are at once silly and loveable, esp. Divine as Edna Turnblatt. And who can't love Ricki Lake as the voluptous teen sensation, Tracy Turnblatt!?! It's such a great movie. The one liners alone make me howl, as well as the great 60's look they were able to COAT the film with ( like hairspray? ) The clothes, the furniture, the makeup, EVERYTHING. Stellar pseudo B-movie casting ( Debbie Harry, Sonny Bono ). It's a favorite!!!

Hermit C-2 wrote on IMDB:

After an abomination like 'Pink Flamingos' it was a surprise for me to learn that this guy had talent. Like Spike Lee or Oliver Stone, you've got to admit that John Waters, like him or not, is a born moviemaker. Also like those two (and ultimately all great directors) he knows how to speak with his own voice and translate his vision to the screen.

His writing is most impressive here as he manages to point up the evils of racism and segregation while not abandoning his wacked-out comedic style. And his eye for period detail is uncanny (as long as the period wasn't too long ago!) 'Hairspray' is great entertainment, fun to watch and edifying, too. Who would have thought that?

lisado wrote on IMDB:

I saw it when it first came out, I've seen it several times since, and my last viewing was just a few weeks ago. It never seems flat or old.

It takes a look at an issue that doesn't necessarily seem to be a goldmine of laughs (racial difficulties in the early '60s) and turns it into just that without robbing it of any dignity or sense of importance. John Waters seems to have pulled out all the stops to insure this outcome, and it really paid off.

The "pleasingly plump" pre-talk show Ricki Lake turns in a great performance in a role that's an inspiration to "chunky" girls everywhere.

As always, Waters picks cameo and supporting actors that are dead-on perfect. His own turn as a psychologist is an absolute scream! Brimming with hysterical lines and set-ups, this is a comedy you need to see, if you haven't already.