The Prom
By Charlotte Dekle
Source: Netflix Media Center
logline: A troupe of hilariously self-obsessed theater stars swarm into a small conservative Indiana town in support of a high school girl who wants to take her girlfriend to the prom.
For the production of this film, Ryan Murphy probably walked around Hollywood with a lasso and roped in every conceivable big-named talent. This would include Nicole Kidman, James Corden, Kevin Chamberlin, Kerry Washington, and the behemoth Meryl Streep. Oh, I forgot to mention, but it seems almost obvious. This is directed by Ryan Murphy. The spectacle of the bright Broadway lights is classic Murphy. Since you probably already know, Queen Meryl Streep is in this movie, doing her best singing work to date, playing self-obsessed aging Broadway starlet Dee Dee Allen. But saying that Meryl Streep is great in a film is just preaching to the choir, so in the favorite characters section, I will highlight the non-Meryl Streep talents that I think deserve a shoutout. To get it out of the way, I enjoyed the movie. But it was not without its faults. My main annoyance with this movie is how repetitive and predictable it is. The circle of predictability in this movie is usually: there is a problem, the thespians' protest, Emma refuses, a song is sung, a dance is danced, Emma concedes, they move past the problem. Is the movie subtle? No. Was it supposed to be? No. Does it have many funny moments? Yes. Did the ending make me cry tears of joy? Yes. The ending, like the film, is uplifting and sweet. The clash between the big city thespians and the small town Hoosiers is quite an amusing mismatch. The hubris of these theatrical heavyweights shines in their motives for helping Emma Nolan, a girl who only wants to attend prom with her girlfriend. They want to repair their image after being detailed a narcissist. They are treading water in their career after a slew of failed productions, including a recent venture into Eleanor! The Eleanor Roosevelt Musical. Though there is an awkward line later on in the movie where Keegan Michael Key’s character says, "the next thing you know, some modern-day Eleanor Roosevelt is gonna march down here and all hell’s gonna break loose,” This could be on purpose, it was still too on-the-nose for my taste. Those are the kind of forced story moments that you can expect from this over 2-hour movie. Side-note: this movie is very much for theatre fans. It comes with many Broadway in-jokes that can confuse some viewers. Some moments point out the blatant hypocrisy among homophobic individuals in the song, “Love Thy Neighbor,” Speaking of songs, they are all fun and pop-y, very modern broadway. All the actors who portray the teens are talented, and I am jealous. They are doing backbends and backflips while I can barely do a push-up. But the messages of love and inclusion are universal. Because life is no dress rehearsal, the world needs more love and acceptance in it and we should build a prom for everyone.
My Favorite Characters:
Jo Ellen Pellman as Emma Nolan: SCREEN DEBUT ALERT. Ms. Pellman is the highlight of the film. She is the modest and realistic light that somehow outshines the fluorescent and counterfeit lights of the direction and set design. She was delightful and wholesome. Also, what a talent, my gosh! A recent graduate of the University of Michigan, Pellman has a wonderful career ahead of her.
James Corden as Barry Glickman: James Corden does an American accent in the film and it is beautifully atrocious. It could either be that or my limited view of his career thus far with a nightly show, a hit movie, a sitcom, and a Broadway play in his native British accent. But excluding the accent, Corden is phenomenal. The character could have become a caricature of a stereotypically flamboyant gay man, but he is not. He starts vain and shallow, but through the story, he morphs into a semi-selfless Drama Desk Winner. But he is a triple threat: acting, singing, dancing. Corden’s acting capabilities are something that we only seldom see.
Kerry Washington as Mrs. Greene: Washington is deliciously villainous as the head of the PTA and the mother of Ariana DeBose's (who is criminally underused) Alyssa Greene. She also sings in this movie, which is something I had never previously seen from her. Her semi-redemption arc is glorious, just like her nuanced portrayal of THAT PTA mom that we all know.
Other Acting Shout-Outs: Other people that are great in this movie. Andrew Rannells as Trent Oliver: he might be my favorite character. I have known someone who attended The Juilliard School and would not shut up about it. Andrew Rannells is perfect in this role as a former 90s sitcom star who is down on his luck and bartending at Sardi's, and is also a part of the non-equity tour of Godspell. You probably know Andrew Rannells from Girls, The Boys In The Band, The Book Of Mormon, or any other properties that he has been a part of. He sings the heck out of this role, which is no surprise due to his theatre background. Ariana DeBose is not in enough of the movie. Her supreme talents are only really showcased in two scenes and her being the love interest of the protagonist does not give her enough to do. At least Ms. DeBose is Anita in the new West Side Story movie that is coming out and that should give her more to do. Keegan Michael-Key was so close to making it into my favorites because I too am a Broadway fan. He also sang in this movie which was a skillset I had never seen from him. Nicole Kidman was great, also criminally underused as Angie, the woman who was almost Roxie Hart.
This movie is rated PG-13. Here’s why:
Sexual References
Mild Language
Favorite Part: "It's Not About Me," is the fourth song in the film, and it is probably my favorite. Ms. Streep sings and acts the heck out of this song. It also conveys the personality of Dee Dee Allen so well, as a faux woke, washed-up actress. With lyrics like "I read three-quarters of a story and knew I had to come," and "It's not about me/though I'm rich and famous," you know this song must be good. On a different note, the fact that she consistently forgets the name of the girl who she is attempting to help, is perfect for her character. The references to musicals like how Allen was called too old to play Eva Peron and how she understands furious townsfolk because she was in Beauty and the Beast.
Where to Watch:
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