MPAA Rating: PG, for language, some suggestive content and momentary teen smoking
Age Range: Ages 12 and up
Genre: Musical/Comedy
Starring: Nikki Blonsky, John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Amanda Bynes, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Elijah Kelley
Studio: New Line Cinema
Release date: July 20, 2007
Hairspray (2007) - Plot Summary
Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) may be overweight, but she does not intend to let it stop her. She fully intends to make her dream of dancing on “The Corny Collins Show,” a local TV phenomenon, come true. When Tracy finally gets to try out for the show, her mother Edna (John Travotla) is completely against it, but her father (Christopher Walken) encourages her to go for it. Unfortunately, she is insulted and turned down by the station manager Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her perfect blonde daughter Amber (Brittany Snow).
Tracy's luck changes for the better, though, when she learns some moves from her new friend Seaweed (Elijah Kelley) and uses them to wow show host Corny Collins. Corny gives Tracy a regular spot on the show, and the whole world seems to be changing for the better. That is, until Tracy faces up to a grave injustice that is still going on - the separation between blacks and whites that causes "Negro Day" on the dance party show to be cancelled. Tracy decides to use her newfound fame to fight for equality and fairness, but will she just end up losing everything she fought so hard for?
Hairspray - Note to Parents
Those who have seen the Broadway version or the 1988 movie version of Hairspray know that the musical is an edgy spoof with a moral message. The PG rating and comments that the 2007 movie has been toned down may leave parents wondering if the movie is suitable for everyone in the family. While the movie does convey a positive message overall, some of the material is heavy with sexual innuendo and the movie deals with mature topics. In addition, the part of Edna, Tracy's mother, has sparked controversy as she is played by a male, John Travolta.
Much of the innuendo can be found in the musical's song lyrics. In particular, on character sings that she "screwed the judges" in order to win a competition, and she makes other references to that fact in the movie. One teen dancer has to leave the show for 9 months, indicating that she is pregnant. A few couples in the movie kiss passionately. One man flashes some women on the street, but no nudity is shown. Also, several scenes revolve around teens being in love with each other and one adult women comes on to a married man, and his wife walks in.
The movie contains some profanity and a lot of colorful phrases. Some comments in the movie could be seen as racist, but they are played for humor in poking fun at an era when some people did not agree with the integration of blacks and whites. Hairspray also deals with the subject of integration and the plight of black Americans at that time in history on a more sober note, with some scenes depicting the sadness and sense of injustice felt by many Americans fighting for equality.
Hairspray - Content Overview
The following lists two or three of the most prominent examples of possibly offensive content in the movie (may contain spoilers):Violence (Mild)
- A character hits a cop with a sign. The story is blown out of proportion and the character is accused of bludgeoning the cop with a crowbar and such things.
Sex/Nudity (Heavy)
- A woman discusses "screwing the judges" and later refers to risking communicable diseases from such action. She later tries manipulate a man by implying that she wants to have sex, but he does not take the bait.
- For comedy, many different types of innuendo are present. A teen on the dance show will be absent due to pregnancy, and another teen sings that she won't go "all the way" but will go pretty far. After kissing a black boy, a girl states now that she has had chocolate she will never go back.
- Some teens on the dance show and in other places dance suggestively, and some women wear dresses that show significant cleavage.
Profanity (Moderate)
- The words "damn" and "ass" are used.
- The phrase "Oh my God" or derivatives of the phrase are used several times.
Alcohol/Drugs (Moderate)
- Some people are shown smoking, including several teenage girls smoking in the bathroom.
- Some pregnant women are shown smoking and drinking in a bar. A character comments that they are glamorous. The scene is intended to be funny, but the women are portrayed as beautiful and glamorous.
Bad/Disrespectful Behavior (Extreme)
- Several racial comments are played for comedy and to highlight the backward thinking of some characters who believe in segregation. In the opening song for the famous dance show, the teens sing that they are "nice white kids." Once a week the show has "Negro Day," when black dancers have their own dance party show. When Tracy gets sent to detention, the room is full of black students.
- Schoolgirls make fun of Nancy, laugh at her, and play some pranks on her.
- The movie bad guys steal, threaten and use other means to stop Nancy from working on the case.
Scary Scenes (Mild)
- A character hides from the cops after being falsely accused of hitting assaulting an officer.
Sad/Unsettling Scenes (Mild)
- When "Negro Day" on the dance show is cancelled, many characters are upset. They decide to march, and one character sings a sad song about the situation.
Hairspray - Topics to Talk About
- Kids may have questions about segregation, integration, equality, and related topics. The moral of the show centers around giving people a chance, even if they are different or do not fit a certain stereotype.
