Review: The Prom
In a string of stage to screen adaptations in 2020, The Prom is definitely the most jovial of the bunch. Starring the likes of Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Keegan-Michael Key, and James Corden, the story follows a young girl from a small town in Indiana who wants to take her girlfriend to the prom, but she’s blocked by the narrow minded, bigoted school board.
I had a chance to go see The Prom during its Broadway run before it was picked up by Ryan Murphy to adapt for the screen. The performances and choreography complimented a moving, albeit ubiquitous story about inclusion and evolving ideas about love. It was a fun, lighthearted romp, but unfortunately some poor directing choices by Murphy caused the story not to fare so well during the transition to the big screen.
Choppy pacing and a few missed opportunities to highlight the more impactful story beats left me feeling somehow underwhelmed and overwhelmed simultaneously while some of the more showy, flashy moments drowned out what, at its core, is a good story.