John Water’s Cry Baby – A Movie Review

 

Cry Baby is a John Water’s musical which was released in 1990. Johnny Depp plays Wade Walkin otherwise known as Cry Baby, who’s the gang leader for The Drapes. The Drapes are frowned upon and seen as juvenile delinquents. Their hang out of choice is Turkey’s Point which is owned by Grandma Walkins. Alison Vernon Williams ( Amy Rose Locase) belongs to the Squares who are seen as upstanding members of society who all attend RSVP charm school. The two fall in love but Baldwin, Alison’s boyfriend is determined to put a stop to it.

THIS REVIEW DOES CONTAIN MAJOR SPOLIERS

One of the most enjoyable parts of this musical was Lenora. That bitch is THIRSTY! She literally gives herself a CB tan line to try and get into his pants. The woman has the audacity to literally say she’s engaged with him and is pregnant with his baby THEN joins the squares. Honestly, don’t fuck with Lenora. Moral of the film.

                       

So, this is very much a biased Romeo and Juliet type of situation. The Drapes are seen as dangerous but are very inclusive, often seen with people of colour. Its made clear that the Squares are racist, especially when Baldwin is shocked and disgusted when Cry Baby starts to sing “coloured music”. It’s an important message of inclusivity and it’s a theme with John Waters. It’s the main message of Hairspray which is also based in Baltimore. I would have liked the Squares to have some sort of redeeming quality but I understand that wasn’t the film style.

 

QUICK FIRE THOUGHTS!

-         Alison singing please Mr Jailer was the most sensual and sexy thing I’ve seen for a while. The film is really campy and it totally took me by surprise that they slowed it and she DID that song!

                             

-         I pity Wanda on a cellular level. Her mam is a lollipop lady and her dad drives the school bus BOTH AT HER SCHOOL. Was there really no other school they could’ve sent her. I would’ve died if it were my parents.

-         At an hour and 24 minutes its one of the shortest musicals I’m aware of so I found it really easy to watch. It seems ideal for people who want to get into musicals as its not super long, its easy to find on Netflix ( at least on the Irish) and not super song heavy. Plus, it has Johnny Depp which you know, always a plus.

 

I’m not in a huge rush to watch this again but its fun enough that I probably would at some point.  It is be a 3.5 out of 5 for me, just because I would’ve liked the Squares to have a redeeming aspect. It would’ve given it more, but again that wasn’t this movie’s writing style.