Crybaby - John Waters

Not Johnny Depp's finest hour film wise, but damn, him as a greaser! Watching 'Crybaby' was quite a surreal experience actually. It took me about twenty minutes to realize that the unbelievable corniness and over dramatization was intentional. Once this minor fact dawned on me however, I settled into the style of the movie and began to enjoy it. The inimitable Mr. Depp plays the role of Wade 'Crybaby' Walker, the leader of a hood or 'drape' gang in Baltimore, Maryland. This gang consists of Wanda Woodward, a Lady Gaga lookalike with a hell of a lot of attitude, Mona Hatchet Face Malnorowski, the gargoyle faced girl who 'puts the ''T'' in tough', Milton Hackett, the extremely attractive and nervous son of two religious fanatics, and last but not least, Pepper Walker, Crybaby's pregnant sister. The Walkers' granny and her boyfriend (Iggy Pop) also play a pivotal role in the gang's running. Amy Locane plays good-girl (or 'square') Allison Vernon-Williams, granddaughter of an influential townswoman. The pair share a moment as they are getting injections at school ( the opening scene consisted mainly of teenagers being stuck with the biggest most painful looking needles I had ever seen- I nearly died!) when Crybaby shows off his ability to shed a single tear, a move that seems to melt all the girls' hearts. It's not long before Allison decides she's had quite enough of being good. She yields to temptation entirely when Wade shows up at a Square Talent Show and whisks her away on his brand new motorbike. The star-crossed couple bond over a love of singing and their shared status as orphans, (Allison's parents both perished in plane crashes and Crybaby's parents died at the hands of the electric chair, his father being the notorious Alphabet Bomber.)

Baldwin (Ricki Lake), Allison's square boyfriend, seeks revenge by crashing a drape dance with all his cronies and wreaking havoc. The police soon arrive and naturally lay all the blame on the drapes. Crybaby's gang are dispersed, his grandmother is fined heavily, Pepper's two children are sent to an orphanage in the hope that good Christian people will adopt them and Crybaby is carted off to a training school for juvenile delinquents. Despite Crybaby's earnest professions of adoration for Miss Vernon-Williams, she believes the worst when a  local news station reporting Crybaby's arrest broadcasts an interview with Lenora Frigid, a good for nothing tramp who insists that Crybaby has impregnated her and that they are engaged to be married. The rest of the film basically involves numerous rescue attempts, an ill fated concert at the opening of a theme park, a game of chicken and a final heartwarming scene.

 'Crybaby' is a ridiculous movie from start to finish but in a loveable kind of way. The 1950's setting is believable and kitsch, the costumes are fantastic and the frequent songs are well co-ordinated and cute. This film has just the right mixture of comedic value and Johnny Depp to make it highly enjoyable in a lighthearted way.