The creator of American Horror Story, American Crime Story and Glee decided to film one of the most popular Broadway musicals for Netflix. How was it? Read my review.
When the careers of three Broadway stars - Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep), Barry Glickman (James Corden) and Angie Dickinson (Nicole Kidman) - don't go their way and critics don't leave a dry thread on their new show, the group decides to some other way to remember yourself. Again, arouse the interest of the media and potential producers. But how can you make it loud in the 21st century? Preferably by protesting some social issue. Luckily, the parent committee at one of the Indiana schools refused to host the prom because one of the students, Emma (Jo Ellen Pellman), wanted to bring her girlfriend to him. The actors decide to crack down on this open discrimination against LGBT + people and set out to save the girl, although she did not ask anyone to do so. They will also be supported in this task by Trent Oliver (Andrew Rannells), an actor who has not yet managed to break into the first division, but sees his chance in this protest.
For director and writer Ryan Murphy, Bal is a very personal film. As he confessed in one of the interviews, he could not go to prom in the company of his boyfriend. No wonder he fought so hard to adapt this musical. Maybe even too much.
The story itself is as relevant as it was in 2016, when it premiered at the Atlanta Theater. Millions of people around the world are still persecuted by society because of their sexual orientation, appearance, religion or political views. Let's be honest, each of us has encountered some form of discrimination more than once in our lives. That is why the Ball constantly touches on a very important topic. Ryan Murphy's problem is that he serves him in the same candy style as he did in Glee. And while it had some kind of atmosphere in the series, you can feel a certain intrusiveness here. The director tries too hard to keep it colorful and cheerful. Even in scenes that are meant to be sad, everything is presented in warm colors. As if the creator of American Horror Story, who was great at building the atmosphere in his productions, could no longer serve musicals in any other way.
The selection of the cast also fails. Because while Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman are doing great - especially Streep can have a great time playing the role of a diva who has his best years behind him, but does not want to let that thought happen - casting James Corden as Barry's gay is some mistake. The host of the Late Late Show lacks acting skills. He may be a great presenter who can run a show with big stars, but he is a poor actor. It also turns out that his poor performance in Cats was not a one-time slip-up. Corden is totally incapable of being gay, making this character exaggerated and stereotypical. It is not enough to say verbally all the time that you are homosexual, you also have to be able to play it. And James cannot do it, which is why he puts most of the scenes, and is one of the most important characters in the film. After all, he is the link between the whole group and the lost and scared Emma.
Also immensely annoying is Andrew Rannells as Trent Oliver, and it's not a script or character issue, but rather an actor issue. I had the same negative feelings when I watched him on the Black Monday series. Rannells has recently had some sort of manner in his game that puts me off.
Kerry Washington is doing great as the conservative chairwoman of Mrs. Greene's parent council. Her hatred of all people who may threaten her values and destroy the order she is used to, is played brilliantly. We can just feel her resentment radiating from the screen. She is the perfect antagonist.
Prom is not a movie for everyone. And I'm not saying that only because it's a musical, and as you know, not everyone likes this genre. The problem is the method of realization, which - as I mentioned - is closer to Glee than Grease or West Side Story. In addition, misplaced casting types, additionally shifting the leg of this production. The fact that there are no songs in this film that would stay in the head for a long time or make the foot start to walk by itself..
