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| Scene from The Prom (2020) |
If there are any issues to be found with director Ryan Murphy's version of The Prom, they're mostly found in the show it was adapted from. At its core, it's one of the most good-intentioned musicals of the modern age, spinning the familiar coming of age story about proms into this one of queer acceptance. When the film is in this mode, there's rarely anything more euphoric, finding protagonist Emma (Jo Ellen Pellman) expressing herself with this passionate outsider narrative. It's her against an Indiana school that finds her lesbianism offensive. The struggle makes for compelling drama, especially when dealing with her still closeted girlfriend Alyssa (Ariana DeBose).
Those moments of tenderness are the heart of the film, which unfortunately are sidelined by something more egregious. The Prom is as much about acceptance as it is the power of theater as a form of self-expression, and that means a whole supporting cast of eccentric Broadway types. What they bring to the show is essential, but the approach creates a gross misunderstanding of what makes The Prom a delightful addition to the movie musical. It isn't about watching adults ham it up, sharing these stories of coming out and doing vivid dance numbers. This was, as its title suggests, should've been about the prom. Had the story been presented predominantly from Emma's perspective, it may even be a masterpiece. Instead, it's a decent if familiar story only elevated by a sugar-rush of a soundtrack that is sure to get stuck in your head. It's a good time, but it could've been better.
