In a 1954 Baltimore high school, Cry-Baby (Johnny Depp) is the leader of a delinquent gang of a teenagers called The Drapes. When he falls for Allison (Amy Locane), the nice middle-class girl the gang find themselves up against college jocks and Allison's grandmother (Polly Bergen).
This alt GREASE pic from sleazemeister John Waters mostly hits the right notes, even if the songs are not as memorable as they should be such as the likes of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) or HAIRSPRAY (1979), a fair musical equivalent. It is kitsch and good fun, even if it does stay on the same level throughout, though the initial fun of the film wears thin towards the end. Depp is great in the lead, is cool in a pre-James Dean/biker greaseball type of way and maintains a degree of sympathy and sensitivity while Kim McGuire is unforgettable as "Hatchet Face" with other decent support from Ricki Lake and Traci Lods.
This alt GREASE pic from sleazemeister John Waters mostly hits the right notes, even if the songs are not as memorable as they should be such as the likes of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975) or HAIRSPRAY (1979), a fair musical equivalent. It is kitsch and good fun, even if it does stay on the same level throughout, though the initial fun of the film wears thin towards the end. Depp is great in the lead, is cool in a pre-James Dean/biker greaseball type of way and maintains a degree of sympathy and sensitivity while Kim McGuire is unforgettable as "Hatchet Face" with other decent support from Ricki Lake and Traci Lods.