Saw it tonight, in a screening attended largely by black women and children. They all seemed to enjoy themselves.
I did, too, mainly. I was very surprised and gladdened that more of the musical numbers worked than didn't, largely because they don't disappear in the Cuisinart editing style of certain other films, and because, wonder of wonders, we're actually allowed to watch people sing.
The acting is mostly very good. I was very taken with the girl playing Tracy, and Seaweed and Penny. Michelle Pfeiffer got the most out of her role, actually making "Miss Baltimore Crabs" interesting. James Marsden's huge trillion dollar smile is one of the film's best special effects. And that score is terrific, and the script, I think, actually improves upon the book of the show.
As for Travolta, well. Buried under what looks like several tons of make up and burdened with a really overdone accent, I found him virtually unwatchable, until his final big number, which is fun and energetic enough to make a lot of people not mind how just plain bad much of his performance really is.
"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW
"Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick
My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/