The Prom | Film Review

I'm currently listening to 'The Prom' soundtrack as I write this, which should give you a small clue as to how I feel about the film. 

A group of Broadway stars in need of some good PR travel to Indiana in order to support a girl who wants to go to the prom with her girlfriend.

I loved this film. I have a serious weakness for musicals, and rarely find one that I don't like, but even with that, this was a lot better than I expected it to be.

First of all, without knowing anything about the film, the cast is amazing. The film stars Meryl Streep (Dee Dee Allen), James Corden (Barry Glickman), Nicole Kidman (Angie Dickinson), Kerry Washington (Mrs. Greene), Keegan-Michael Key (Principal Hawkins), Andrew Rannells (Trent Oliver), and Jo Ellen Pellman, as our principal character Emma Nolan. No matter how people feel about some of these casting decisions, there is a lot of amazing talent here.

And while the actors do a great job, I have to particularly shout-out Andrew Rannells, who is always amazing. I would watch him in anything, and he should be in everything! 

It was originally a Broadway musical, and while I haven't seen it on stage, I think this is a really good adaptation because you can completely imagine seeing it live. It works on both platforms.

This film is a big spectacle. It is hilariously camp and out-there, and you'll know immediately if it's your kind of film or not. For me, it was right in my wheelhouse, and I was in love after the first 15 minutes.

However, ignoring the spectacle, the music, and everything that makes it 'Broadway', the bare bones of the story is really lovely and important. It would have worked without being a musical, because the main story is just a girl who wants to go to the prom with her girlfriend, while some members of staff will do anything to stop that from happening.  The parts of the film that make you feel something are the parts that are real.

But having said that, the music is really important, and I loved this aspect of it. As I said, I'm listening to the soundtrack as I write this, because the music stands on it's own. My particular favourites are: 'Just Breathe',  'It's Not About Me', 'You Happened', 'Tonight Belongs to You', and 'Love Thy Neighbour' - and that was really hard. I definitely left out some amazing songs. But definitely listen to the soundtrack. I would suggest watching the film, listening to the soundtrack on repeat, and watching the film again (that's how I tend to watch musicals anyway!). 

I find that some movies and filmmakers forget that, for most films, the main purpose is to entertain an audience. This film not only remembers that, but plays up to it. You are entertained from beginning to end.

One of the reasons that this film works so well is because of these characters. There is something to love in each one of them. But Emma in particular is such a great character - you really root for her.

The only negative I have about the film is that the pace gets slower and slower as the film goes on. It loses it's mojo in the last hour, but definitely gets it back just before the end. However, it could have been a bit shorter.

Overall, this is a lovely story with a great message - it's definitely better than you expect, and I loved it so much more the second time I watched it!

7.5/10