'The Prom' film review: Uneven, cluttered musical is a string of missteps
Ryan's Murphy's latest film, the musical 'The Prom' (streaming on Netflix starting Dec. 11), is essentially a repackaged 'Glee' episode ... and not an episode from one of the stronger seasons.
In short: A troupe of hilariously self-obsessed theater stars swarm into a small conservative Indiana town in support of a high school student Emma (Jo Ellen Pellman) who wants to take her girlfriend to the prom. Stars Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Andrew Rannells, Keegan-Michael Key, Ariana DeBose and Kerry Washington.
Consider how 'The Prom' starts. The movie establishes a PTA’s close-minded, unilateral decision to outright blow up the entire prom rather than allow a lesbian like Emma bring a girl to the dance. This is the story's hook. And it lasts for one whole minute - before spending entire too long wallowing in the narcissism of some unlikeable opportunists. 'Prom' would rather anchor the story in a self-centered crew of insincere social "activists" than the plight of a sweet girl who just wants take her love to the prom. Almost another 15 minutes passes before the film circles back around to social outcast Emma.
Newcomer Jo Ellen Pellman is the heart of 'The Prom' and she is easily the musical's strongest aspect. Surrounded by real-life Tony Award and Academy Award nominees ... and James Corden ... Pellman centers the film in Emma's hope for love and the heartache of her rejection. While her high school conspires against her and her new Broadway friends, Pellman's Emma is the constant in film, establishing a firm and lovely foundation. It’s impossible to not root for her through Emma’s ups and downs - and Pellman is the saving grace of ‘The Prom.’
'The Prom' condemns misguided social justice actors as little more than selfish virtue signalers - then bizarrely trips all over itself to worship at the feet of Broadway productions. Finding social acceptance and righting an injustice for Emma is merely the plot driver to achieve the film's real agenda: rebuilding its cadre of deeply flawed Broadway stars. At one point, a character literally whines "Why does being good cost so much?" Both Streep and Corden's characters just want to improve their public image, using their public-facing "generosity" to curry favor among their progressive peers in showbiz. And this is where 'The Prom' begins to lose traction - the movie starts by shoe-horning in a character arch of selfish to selfless for Streep and Corden ... and further cluttering up the movie with an unnecessary romantic arch for Streep and tacking on an estranged family relationship for Corden.
The main draw for a large number of potential viewers will be the a-list ensemble - who are largely underutilized. Kidman and Rannells aren't really characters - the former's biggest contribution to the film is finding a trending topic and the latter has a musical number in a shopping mall. And that's about it. Kidman and Rannells throw themselves into the roles - even if their characters don't get to do much. Streep and Corden are kinda perfect as the self-centered pair of Broadway stars - even if their characters muddy the film's focus.
Final verdict: True, sincere inclusion deserves a better film than this cluttered misfire that's only tangentially interested in embracing the LGBTQ community when it serves the movie. Honestly, the beautiful themes of embracing identity and "loving thy neighbor" should have been more prominent instead of just feeling surface-depth to a story more interested in rehabbing a pair of selfish celebs.
Score: 2/5
'The Prom' is now playing in select cities and streams on Netflix starting Dec. 11. This biographical drama is rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some suggestive/sexual references and language and has a running time of 130 minutes.
