Welcome to Reel People. It’s a place where, you guessed it, real people like yourselves spout off on new movie releases. It works best if you - yes, we mean you - jump into the forum link below and tell us what you think of the movie, too.

This week, we’re watching Hairspray.

What I liked: This high-energy remake of the John Waters’ classic opens strong and keeps right on dancing along. The story is classic - plump teen uses her new found fame on a afternoon dance show to teach 1962 Baltimore about intergration. But the script doesn’t hold back on making fun of stereotypes about race, weight and general intolerance in a light-hearted way.

All the performances work in this one, most notably Queen Latifah (both in acting and vocal performances) as Motormouth Maybelle, the host of the dance show’s monthly Negro Day; newcomer Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblat, the happy dance sensation who wants to change how people think about the races; and Amanda Bynes, as Tracy’s wide-eyed best friend.
What I disliked: While John Travolta’s performance as Tracy’s mother was solid, his fat suit and make-up were distracting. In each scene he appeared, it felt much of the joke was who he was and how he was dressed as opposed to what was happening. A humorous dance number with his (her?) husband, played by Christopher Walken, is a good case in point.
Would I recommend?: This version of Hairspray takes all the best elements from its predecessors (the original movie and the Broadway play) and creates a fun ride for audiences on its own. This film could be the break-out hit this summer if enough of its potential audience can get past that it’s a musical.
8 out of 10

- Don Smith

What I liked: I thoroughly enjoyed this movie!  I must admit that I’m unfamiliar with both the John Waters version and the Broadway musical, so I went into the theater with no expectations and unable to make any comparisions to other versions.

The casting was almost perfect, especially the amazing newcomer Nikki Blonsky as Tracy Turnblad.  “Hairspray” has great songs, great performances, a great message and great dancing. It’s a great movie!
What I disliked: The weakest part of the movie—really, the only weak part—is John Travolta as Edna Turnblad.  He doesn’t try to sound like a woman, which is odd, considering all the costume and make-up work that went into making him look like a woman.  Also, Travolta makes an unsuccessful attempt at a Baltimore accent, which is extremely jarring, because his character is the only one speaking with any sort of accent at all.
Would I recommend?: I would definitely recommend this movie. It’s funny, sweet and high-energy.  I can’t wait to buy the soundtrack.
9 out of 10

- Lisa Ciurro