Netflix's THE PROM Reviews & Reactions- Page 11

[theatreguy12]

I saw the show on Broadway too and while it wouldn't be up there alongside my favorite musicals I still found it a fun evening out at the theater.

I enjoyed the Netflix feature as well, though I will always much prefer the stage productions of any musical.  

Sure the sets and the realistic nature put into a film will give it way more dimension. That goes without saying. But the simplicity of what a set can be on a stage can really make the story stand out.  And I do tend to be a little bit of a theater snob anyway when it comes to preferring live theater to movies. 

As for the performances, the young woman who played Emma was good, but I preferred her Broadway counterpart.  It seemed like the movie Emma is doing a lot of grinning through the earlier parts of the story which didn't feel natural to the situation.  I seem to remember Caitlin playing it more pensively.  But I could be wrong.  It's been a while now.

I also preferred Beth to Meryl.   Meryl is a great actress but I much preferred her earlier movies because I could still lose her in the character.  I can't really do that anymore.  It's just Meryl Streep playing a character named Dee Dee or Julia Child, or whoever. Furthermore, I just didn't find her portrayal of Dee Dee all that likable.  She just basically hammed it up from start to finish. Beth played up the narcissism, but she also hit on the self-reflection better in my opinion.   You really felt that she had learned something about herself by the end of the show, and while maybe she wouldn't be perfect, she would try.  Streep played it more like, 'Well, I'll try, but whatever.'

Corden paled in comparison to Brooks.  

I agree that the role of Angie isn't real deep but I remember the role being played better on Broadway.  The movie was more like let's just throw a famous, tall blonde actress in the role and let her slink around a bit.  I remember Angie Schworer really making something out of role that wasn't really that much.  She was clearly a dancer and I enjoyed her performance.

Ariana Debose did a good job, but I even remember that role in the stage musical taking a backseat to Emma's role.  It's obviously supposed to add important dramatic tension that becomes central to the show, but her character was just kind of there.  I know you can only do so much within the confines of a two+ hour stage production, but I felt the character could have been fleshed out a bit more.

Which leads me to a standout question I had with the plot, and this could certainly translate to the stage production as well.  But Alyssa has been dating Emma for a year and a half, and it's only right before the prom that people take notice?  I might have missed something but that didn't seem real believable.   Thinking back to high school, I'm not sure being that popular I would have been able to hide my boyfriend from the rest of the school. Especially if I was Mr. Popularity.   I guess that's just  the license a story will have to take. Though they could have made the relationship a little more recent in time span.

[Call_me_jorge]

After I watched this I watched the closing night bootleg and it made me wonder how much of the direction of the film should be credited to Casey. I know he’s already in the credits as the choreographer, but the direction is also nearly the same. I know this was Ryan Murphy’s first foray into musicals(minus glee, which wasn’t really a musical). I’m sure Casey was very hands on during the filming. Really hope he directs the Mean Girls musical movie(if it’s still supposed to happen).

[poisonivy2]

Well I watched it and I liked it. I thought it was a cute adaptation of an essentially mediocre musical. A few things were unbelievable -- hard to believe Nicole Kidman could be stuck in the chorus for years. And the high school was filled with really good-looking adults as "kids." But whatever. It was enjoyable. I thought Meryl and Andrew Rannells were both hilarious. 

I do wonder if I would have enjoyed it as much had there not been the worst pandemic ever. I just streamed four different productions of Nutcracker, so I obviously need a high diet of sugar in my entertainment now.

[Owen22]

An interesting (queer) reaction and comparison of the show to the Netflix film:

https://www.vulture.com/2020/12/the-prom-isnt-the-gift-to-queer-teens-it-thinks-it-is.html

[Mark Waltz]

I'm glad that Meryl added more dimension to the role of Dee Dee Allen. I was concerned that she might return to the ultra egotism of Madeline Ashton and give Dee Dee's "Eleanor" a bit of "Songbird!" (you know, the musical version of "Sweet Bird of Youth". I laughed at some of the new lines that weren't in the original show, especially her apparently going off about someone's cellphone ringing then realizing that it was her own phone in her wig. 

I think "The Prom" movie also set a record as perhaps the quickest stage musical to get a film version. It opened on Broadway just two years ago. I can't think of any other show made into a musical that fast outside of "Kismet" (Broadway, 1953, film, 1955) or the partial sound version of "Show Boat" that had the music in the background. (I haven't seen that version yet, so I'm not sure how close it is to the 1927 original. 

[Mark Waltz]

edmundog2 said: "The age thing is a little weird. One of the aspects of the character is that he took a bus to NYC and saw her in one of her first shows. Their romance is like... Someone who’s always been in her life but never has, if that makes sense? There’s a better way of saying it, I’m sure. Making him 20 years younger puts a different tone on it, to me. It’s not a missed opportunity from another life, it’s just her boinking a fan.

Also, Ryan, you can do things with the camera OTHER THAN SPINNING IT AROUND EVERYONE."

That really bothered me too in "Love Thy Neighbor". 

[theatreguy12]

Owen22 said: "An interesting (queer) reaction and comparison of the show to the Netflix film:

https://www.vulture.com/2020/12/the-prom-isnt-the-gift-to-queer-teens-it-thinks-it-is.html"

Interesting, yes. Thanks for sharing. Confirms what I was thinking. Couldn’t get past the the lead’s grinning at the beginning of the movie either. It didn’t seem to sync with the circumstances she was in. She didn’t come off as a teen who is all that troubled by what was going on around her.

[E.Davis]

It also looks like The Acceptance Song was filmed in its entirety judging by shots of Nicole Kidman in the trailer that were not in the final cut of the film. Wonder if we will get a deleted scene.

[SouthernCakes]

Overall I enjoyed it but like someone said it’s a mediocre show. Even my sister said it felt a little too wholesome and fake. But I’ve always gotten that tone from Ryan Murphy stuff.

I thought Meryl was great! She sounded great she liked great. She had me cracking up. There’s a quick moment when she gets off the bus and Andrew offers his hand and she gives him a quick like “we won’t be doing that” gesture. So good.

The plot - with this casting - does feel weird. Like the fact that Streep doesn’t remember Andrew and then they take a bus cross country together, that all felt forced.

Corden wasn’t that bad - to me. I thought he was fine, but his accent wasn’t great which made it hard for me to latch onto his character. So I watched the bootleg of the original cast and just watching Brooks running into the gym had me dying. He’s so good.

[Pashacar]

E.Davis said: "It also looks like The Acceptance Song was filmed in its entirety judging by shots of Nicole Kidman in the trailer that were not in the final cut of the film. Wonder if we will get a deleted scene."

The full versions of this and You Happened are on the album. So I'm hoping!

[edmundog2]

“ That really bothered me too in "Love Thy Neighbor". ”

 

That was particularly the scene I was thinking of, yes. Especially since it started BEFORE the singing even began. And it was throughout the rest of the film as well. Murphy couldn’t let the camera just rest on people.

[Claude Perkins]

I really enjoyed this but couldn't help wondering how Patti Lupone would have made this her own had she been cast. I also wanted to see Kerry Washington's character punished at the end, but understood that wasn't going to happen based on the way things were going. However, her sudden transition would have been easier to swallow with a small addition to the finale. With Barry's mother back in the picture after 21 years watching Mrs Greene make the same mistakes she did, Murphy should have directed her to follow Greene out of the gym after she stormed out, presumably to warn her about the terrible mistake she made with her own child so long ago. That would have made Washington's quick re-appearance at the the inclusive prom much easier to swallow.

[SporkGoddess]

So I wasn't familiar with the Broadway version other than the Tonys performance. I really liked the parts of the story with Emma, Alyssa, and the high school, but I found the parts with the older "celebrities" completely obnoxious. I'm not sure how much of that was the role and writing themselves vs. my hatred of James Corden, but the satire just felt soooo heavyhanded. It felt like they were constantly winking at me. And I didn't care at all about their emotional journeys as a result. 

The score is pretty fun and I've found myself repeatedly listening to some of the OBCR songs, but unfortunately the more I listen the more I find myself thinking that the lyrics just are often not very good. 

[jonartdesigns]

I keep thinking about this; there was a missed opportunity to give Caitlyn Kinnunen a quick cameo during “Its not about me” when DeeDee misidentifies Emma.

[SouthernCakes]

It’s just not a great show on paper and it becoming a film I think makes people think it’s suppose to be this amazing musical but it’s not. It’s pretty mediocre. Bland score, bland cheesy script. But the performances sell it.

[goodlead]

Two of the best scenes were the quiet ones with the grandmother and with Barry's mother. They were oases of calm among the prevailing flamboyance.

[goldenboy]

I for one think this worked better as a film than a stage musical. It still has problems but overall, what an amazingly successful transformation into a film/tv musical!!!  

Meryl was wonderful and as good as Beth Leavel!  James Corden was fine but I did miss the ridiculous campiness of Brooks as Barry. I thought James toned down the gayness that Brooks so flaunted on stage.  Nicole and Andrew did very well. It was enjoyable.

It does does lose steam half way through -- the film and the show both-- so that is a built in problem.  Really? a Second prom to make up for the first? This defies credibility.

 As others have said the lead character (Emily is it?)   didn't seem that bothered and smiled her way through the early scenes of people not accepting gays in Indiana. . This was done better on stage. And I did miss "Let's help that poor dyke." from Barry's mouth     But these are minor quibbles!!!

If we had  A Man of La Mancha film or A Chorus Line film or a Mame   Film.. this good of  a transition from  stage to screen.. we would be dancing with  glee!!!

Beautiful job by Ryan Murphy, Casey Nicholaw and the entire production team and cast! A great transition and we should be very grateful for it.

[BwayLB]

Streep proves herself to be a triple threat with her acting, Singing and dancing as Dee Dee particularly in her songs Its Not About Me and The Ladys Improving. Pellman as the leading role of Emma is a promising rising star mostly in her singing. Corden is a surprisingly fun and touching standout as Barry and gets an end twist to his storyline I dont want to give away. Kidman as Angie shines in her big number Zazzz which might give you a bit of Chicago vibes. Rannells as Trent is at his best with his songs! DeBose as Alyssa has strong vocals but I wish she was given more to do. Michael Key while not as big as he was as the main villain Gustafson in Jingle Jangle but still turns in another memorable role as Principal Hawkins even when paired in a scene with Streeps Dee Dee. Washington gets funny bits but her story as the misguided but meaningful Mrs Green gets an emotionally strong finish. Not an overall weak link in the cast. I dont even get all the Corden hate!

All the songs from the 2018-2019 Broadway run of the Prom are featured. And the soundtrack written by Mathew Sklar (music) and Chad Beguelin (book & lyrics) is less generic of a contemporary score than I imagined but is absolutely spectacular. The original choreography by Casey Nicolaw (The Book of Mormon, Mean Girls, Aladdin) is so much fun to watch be recreated for a new medium. The numbers range from traditional ballads to bouncy songs with often witty musical references. Theyll make you want sing along and dance!

One thing that concerned me however is the plot was more focused on the adults and their transformation from self absorbed to becoming actual activists then was supposed to be on Emma and Alyssa. I would have enjoyed the story even more if all 6 main characters were given equal focus. Because LGBT love and how it unites this small town is supposed to be the beating heart of the story. But since the message wasnt completely misleading and the music and performances were able to compromise with the entertainment value, Ill let the creators especially who did the Broadway show off on this one. They are some redeeming qualities to spare!

Overall, I give this movie 4/5 stars. Beautifully directed by Glee creator Ryan Murphy, The Prom is another feel good musical extravaganza from Netflix. It is part time whimsical, colorful with sequins, part time emotionally resonating especially in these (hopefully) soon to be over dark times, part song filled comedy and all around fun story of acceptance, opening your heart, growing up and finding the happiness you were meant to have. The magic of musicals keeps coming to life at home around the holiday season. And we couldnt be happier to have music and laughter in Quarantine. Even though the movie went a little below my expectations.