The Prom is the latest Netflix original and is directed by the prolific Ryan Murphy, who, as a film director, is very hit or miss, with emphasis on the miss. But he surprised me with this film. It’s such an upbeat, uplifting, heartwarming musical with bright colors and catchy musical numbers. Everything you’d want in a musical. The film also has a great message about acceptance.
Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, the film follows two failing Broadway musical stars looking for a cause to revive their careers. They find that cause by locating a young woman, Emma, in a small town that isn’t allowed to bring her girlfriend to prom.
It’s hard for me to understand all the negative press this film is receiving because I had such a great time with it. It’s everything anybody could want from a broadway musical adaptation. It wasn’t trying to be the most fantastic film ever made. It wants to be a positive inclusivity film that makes you happy. And this film does that while telling a touching story that features non stop catchy tunes and show-jamming musical numbers with incredible choreography.
It’s reminiscent of those old campy musicals they don’t often make anymore. Ryan Murphy delivers the campy and lavish style you would expect from a broadway musical adaptation. Being a big fan of Glee, I didn’t expect anything less than a glitzy musical covered in primary colors, in a way that only Ryan Murphy could deliver.
The queen herself, Meryl Streep, gives another Oscar-worthy performance. This is her second performance of the weekend after Steven Soderbergh’s Let Them All Talk, and this is the better performance of the two. Her portrayal of a Broadway icon fits her perfectly because she is a film icon in real life who’s won many awards in her prolific career. She knew how to perfectly balance her character’s campy side with the softer, more vulnerable one. I love that it also gave her a chance to show off her incredible singing chops. I even had a friend ask me if that was her voice.
Keegan-Michael Key as the principal was great. Unlike his other Netflix musical, Jingle Jangle, this film uses him well. He had great chemistry with Meryl as his character is a HUGE fan of hers. He also gets a chance at a musical number and impressed me a lot.
Jo Ellen Pellman gives a star-making turn in her film debut as our lead, Emma. She shines bright opposite more prominent stars and possesses a beautiful voice. I can’t wait to see her career grow, and I hope she becomes a staple of Murphy’s work since he repeats who he works with on different projects. She has excellent chemistry with Ariana DeBose, who plays her girlfriend. Seeing DeBose on screen made me sad and happy because she did great with the musical numbers being a broadway veteran. But unhappy because in a perfect world, she would have had West Side Story (the new Steven Spielberg version) releasing next week, and both those musicals in consecutive weeks would have done wonders for her film career.
I get the negativity regarding James Corden being straight and playing gay, but he was just so damn good. Does he overdo it a bit? Yes and no. Yes, he does, but while it might be a caricature, he does play the queer theater geek to perfection. It only comes out as “negative” because Corden isn’t part of the community. His character has a sad backstory, which helps him bond with Emma, but it also gives Corden a chance to show his depth as an actor. Even to the surprise of no one, he kills all his musical numbers with his vibrant personality.
Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman is definitely above her part. A lesser-known actress would have benefited from having it; however, her character does get a real standout moment, in my opinion. She has a Fosse-esque “Zazz” musical number that made me smile. It transported me back into that Cabaret/All That Jazz world for a quick second. Andrew Rannells is another actor who wasn’t used to his full capacity but still managed to stand out because he’s such a charismatic presence. He gets a great song about loving thy neighbor, which sells the film’s message well.
My biggest issue with the film would have to be its run time. While I had a great time with the film, there was no reason for this to have been over 2 hours.
This is easily Netflix’s best musical film and the perfect positive film to end 2020 with. If you enjoy feel-good musicals with catchy tunes and lavish musical numbers, I highly recommend this film.
