Travolta is a Drag, but Blonsky is Simply Divine in Hairspray

John Travolta is a fine actor at the top of his craft, but put him in a baggy dress and a fat suit for "Hairspray" and he's just John Travolta in drag. Newcomer Nikki Blonsky is so fabulous, though, that she more than makes up for Travolta's shortcomings.

In this musical adaptation of John Waters' 1988 camp classic, Blonsky plays Tracy Turnblad, a Baltimore teenager who lives for nothing else except "The Corny Collins Show," a local television dance show hosted by the very toothy Corny Collins (James Marsden). After learning of an open audition for dancers for the show, Tracy skips school and drags her friend Penny Pingleton (a surprisingly funny Amanda Bynes) to the studio. Unfortunately, producer Velma Von Tussle (a skeletal Michelle Pfeiffer) wants nothing to do with the plump teenager.

After learning some cool dance moves from the kids in detention, Tracy struts her stuff in front of Corny Collins himself and becomes a member of the show's "Dance Council." The ambitious Mrs. Von Tussle isn't happy about this since Tracy is taking the spotlight away from her daughter Amber (Brittany Snow).

Tracy's celebrity status has some nice perks, including a gig as a spokesmodel for a clothing store, but she also starts to see the unfairness that's present in 1962 Baltimore. The television station only allows minorities to appear on "Negro Day," which is hosted by Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah) and Tracy soon finds herself torn between stardom and doing the right thing. Standing up for civil rights may mean the end of her television career, though, and her relationship with the handsome Link Larkin (Zac Efron from "High School Musical").

With the exception of Travolta's lukewarm performance as Edna Turnblad, "Hairspray" is perfectly cast and executed and even manages to make a few insightful comments about racial equality. John Waters' original comedy has come full-circle, starting life as a movie before becoming a Broadway musical and then coming back home to the multiplex. The stage obviously wasn't big enough to contain this show because it has the power to bring movie audiences to their feet.