I try to be
professional while I write this blog. This may seem strange as I am actually
doing this for pleasure not work. But still, standards must be kept up and all
that, and I try and be objective and honest and all that when I review films.
Like everyone, however, I have my Achilles heel. I don’t admit this too often,
but those who know me know this well. If Johnny Depp is in it, the chances are
I am probably going to love this film. No matter what the rest of the technical
qualities. I mean, I will notice the rest of the film. I will bear whatever is
wrong with it in mind when I talk about it. But I will also like it. For
Johnny’s sake. *sigh*.
But into
all that comes a film like Cry Baby. Ladies and gentlemen, you would be very
hard pressed to squeeze more things I like into a single movie. It’s a musical.
It’s a ‘50s musical. It has ‘50s music in it (in case you hadn’t made the
connection). It has Johnny Depp in it. It has absurd comedy and kitch coming
out of its ears. I am well aware that film critics everywhere may not
necessarily agree with me but I just may have discovered perfection dear
readers. In my universe, anyway.
So what is
Cry Baby about? Well, we’re in Baltimore, the ‘50s. And the town can be roughly
divided into territories of two gangs. One, the Squares, the “goodie two
shoes”, who have the full support of the adults and the “Drapes” aka the
juvenile delinquents (these are all real gangs by the way and based on the
memories of writer and director John Waters but I’ll get to that in just a
second). The head of the Drapes gang is Wade Walker, better known as Cry Baby,
who can sing and croon like Elvis himself and can make the girls swoon with his
ability to shed a single tear. Love, however, knows no boundaries and one day,
he falls for a girl. The girl – Allison - happens to be very “high up” in the
Squares gang. However, she is actually “sick of being good” and Cry Baby has a
heart of gold for all his bravado and showing off and with a bit of a “bad girl
makeover” Allison is soon the “queen” on Cry-baby’s arm. However, the small
town, Allison’s ex-boyfriend and the “system” are determined to keep the lovers
apart. Will they overcome the obstacles and get together in the end?
I love this
film because it doesn’t put on airs and graces. It doesn’t take itself too
seriously. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a serious (and successful) effort at making
a brilliant film. But at the end of the day it is a fifty’s film full of
fifty’s stuff that may well look like kitch to us today. Frankly, the film
really, really doesn’t care. John Walker grew up in Baltimore where the Drapes
(the real ones) and all their escapades ruled the headlines. Like all
respectable kids growing up, he really wanted to be a Drape. Whether he
succeeded or not (I got the impression not from the interview but who knows),
he has put that whole era well, truly and completely into the film. And the
comedy. The absurd comedy, oh my God. I know that both musicals and absurd
comedy are acquired tastes more than anything else, but for those who like them,
this film offers perfection, be it through the music or the performances.
Johnny Depp is gorgeous as Cry-Baby and my other favourite in the film is
without a shadow of a doubt Iggy Pop who stars as his “step-grandfather”. I’ll
let you discover for yourself how that works out J
Now, if
you’re going to feel all self-conscious and weird because you’re not watching
the next “cool and hip thing” give this a miss. But if you’re not pre-occupied
with “cool and hip” and want to really let rip, and I mean toe-tapping,
guffawing and actually applauding the screen, this is the one. Plus it has
Johnny Depp. I mean, come on, this is a proposition you just can’t refuse…
Right?
Kayıtlar
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder