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Hairspray (2007)

Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Progressive
Viewer Rating
Rating: 7.7
Hairspray poster

Overview

Pleasantly plump teenager Tracy Turnblad auditions to be on Baltimore's most popular dance show - The Corny Collins Show - and lands a prime spot. Through her newfound fame, she becomes determined to help her friends and end the racial segregation that has been a staple of the show.


Starring Cast


Where to watch

Apple TV logoApple TV
Google Play logoGoogle Play
Fandango
Powered byJustWatch

Bias Dimensions

Political: Strong Left
Diversity: High
LGBTQ: Positive
Christianity: Positive

Overview

Pleasantly plump teenager Tracy Turnblad auditions to be on Baltimore's most popular dance show - The Corny Collins Show - and lands a prime spot. Through her newfound fame, she becomes determined to help her friends and end the racial segregation that has been a staple of the show.


Starring Cast


Where to watch

Apple TV logoApple TV
Google Play logoGoogle Play
Fandango
Powered byJustWatch

Detailed Bias Analysis

Analyzing...
Progressive

Primary

Hairspray is rated -2 (Clearly Left) because its central thesis explicitly promotes progressive ideology by critiquing systemic racial segregation and advocating for social justice and integration through collective action.

Hairspray demonstrates significant DEI through its casting choices, notably featuring a male actor in a traditionally female lead role. The narrative explicitly confronts and critiques racial segregation, portraying those who uphold traditional, discriminatory systems negatively, while championing themes of diversity and inclusion.

Secondary

Hairspray features the iconic portrayal of Edna Turnblad by a man in drag, celebrating gender non-conforming artistry. While Edna is not explicitly LGBTQ+, her dignified and complex character arc, combined with the film's themes of acceptance and challenging norms, contributes to a net positive impact by affirming diverse expressions and identities.

The film positively portrays the spiritual strength and community of the black characters, whose gospel-infused music and gatherings serve as a powerful force for justice and equality. The narrative champions values of compassion and acceptance, implicitly aligning with core Christian tenets while condemning the bigotry of characters who operate within a nominally Christian society.

Hairspray (2007) does not feature identifiable transsexual characters or themes. The portrayal of Edna Turnblad by a male actor in drag is a theatrical tradition, not a narrative exploration of transsexual identity. The film's focus is on racial integration and body positivity, with no engagement with gender identity or transition.

The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.

The film maintains the canonical gender of all its characters. While Edna Turnblad is famously portrayed by a male actor, the character herself is consistently depicted as female across all iterations, including this adaptation. This falls under a performance choice rather than a change in the character's established gender.

The 2007 film is an adaptation of a musical and earlier film, both of which established the racial identities of its characters. All major characters in the 2007 movie maintain the same race as their established counterparts in the source material.


Viewer Rating Breakdown

7.7

Viewer Rating

Combines user and critic ratings from four sources

User Ratings

IMDB logo
6.7
The Movie Database logo
6.7

Critic Ratings

Rotten Tomatoes logo
9.2
Metacritic logo
8.1

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