The 1960s is one of my favorite decades. While I do prefer the latter half of the decade more (it just suits my sensibilities better), I can find much enjoyment in the first half, which, in many ways was not all that different from the 1950s.
John Waters is an interesting filmmaker who almost always makes a movie that
is worth watching for various reasons. This nostalgic little trip to the days of dance shows and racial troubles is one such film. This may not be Waters's best film, but its very good, and actually sees him making an important film since it deals with a topic full of substance. It's also his most tame film, which is a pleasnt shock.
Here's the thing: even though this film addresses racial segregation, it is still a Waters film, thus it is dealt with in his usual campy way. This might be a problem for some, since it might come across as too silly and not serious enough, but I found the treatment to be delightfully fun, charming, and hilarious.
The time period is captured in an absolutely brilliant fashion, and the music and performances are dynamite. The cameos and casting are really fun (Ric Ocasek is a scream), and besides doing a great job, this gave Ricki Lake her big break. More importantly, the cast have great chemistry, and you can tell they had a lot of fun making this.
My grade is perhaps just a tad inflated, but I don't care. I got onto this film's wavelength and it entertained the hell out of me. I highly recommend giving this one a watch.
June 22, 2006
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