Hairspray (1988)

Hairspray

Hairspray (1988) is a buoyant, slightly subversive coming-of-age comedy set in 1962 Baltimore. When upbeat, heavyset teenager Tracy Turnblad wins a spot on a popular local TV dance show, her sudden fame gives her a platform to challenge the show’s segregationist habits and the town’s narrow ideas about beauty. As Tracy rallies friends and fans to push for integration, she tangles with the show’s vain former star, Amber Von Tussle, and Amber’s reactionary parents, leading to a high-stakes showdown around the Miss Auto Show 1963 pageant. Watching Hairspray feels like stepping into a colorful, frenetic musical playground: lots of dancing, broad comedic performances, and John Waters’s trademark blend of camp and heart. The film mixes laugh-out-loud moments and outrageous characters with a sincere, hopeful message about acceptance and social change, so viewers leave amused, energized, and uplifted.

Actors: Sonny Bono, Ruth Brown, Divine

Director: John Waters

Runtime: 92 min

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Family

Filmaffinity Rating 6.3 /10 Metacritic Rating 77 /100 IMDB Rating 7.0 /10 Bmoat Rating 7.0 /10