Cry-Baby (1990)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Manu G

  
  Good girls want him bad. Bad girls want him worse. Cool musical movie! The movie at first to me seems a little boring but it gets better and better as it goes on. This is one Depp's earliest roles as an actor and boy did he deliver. The movie is funny and the story is easy to… More
  Good girls want him bad. Bad girls want him worse. Cool musical movie! The movie at first to me seems a little boring but it gets better and better as it goes on. This is one Depp's earliest roles as an actor and boy did he deliver. The movie is funny and the story is easy to follow, enjoy! Poor boy meets rich girl. Boy falls for girl. Boy's friends don't approve. Girl falls for boy. Girl's friends and family don't approve. Take one part "Romeo and Juliet", one part "Grease", a little bit of the "Outsiders", and a generous helping of "Mad Magazine" mentality, set it in the 50's and add some cool music and it comes close to "Cry-Baby", John Waters strange and campy homage to the star-crossed lover genre. Bad boy Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker meets good girl Allison Vernon-Williams, and it's love at first sight. It's the quirky characters and brilliant casting that set Water's version of this story (that's been done a million times already) apart from the rest. It's also these same qualities that make it a little inappropriate for younger audiences. Think Grease but with freaks and weirdos surrounding the attractive main characters.

• Chris W

  
  I really don't care for the film Grease, but I got a big kick out of this, which is a really silly, but tremendously fun satirical take on the Drapes(greasers) vs Squares rivalry of the 1950s. This movie may be over the top and really campy, but unlike Grease, it was intentional.… More
  I really don't care for the film Grease, but I got a big kick out of this, which is a really silly, but tremendously fun satirical take on the Drapes(greasers) vs Squares rivalry of the 1950s. This movie may be over the top and really campy, but unlike Grease, it was intentional. Leave it up to John Waters to be responsible for this. I could have guessed he was behind this had I not already known it. That's not a bad thing though. It's probably Waters's tamest film content-wsie along with Hairspray, but that's okay. It still fits in nicely with the rest of his filmography. Johnny Depp takes the lead amongst a cast of notable names including Ricki Lake, Iggy Pop, Traci Lords, and even Willem Dafoe. It's weird seeing Depp here because he's so youthful and not quite as off the rails as a lot of the characters he's played. Everyone does a decent job, and you can just tell that they had fun making this. Ok, so look, the film isn't high art, and it is silly and campy, but it has no pretensions surrounding it, and it's just a lot of fun and very watchable. Give it a shot.

• Unknown H

  
  Gimmicky and cringe worthy through out, I still find it hard to knock this movie because that was clearly the way it was supposed to be. Bordering between coming of age tale of lust and a hark back to the musical era of slick backed hair and fast cars, this movie assaults the senses… More
  Gimmicky and cringe worthy through out, I still find it hard to knock this movie because that was clearly the way it was supposed to be. Bordering between coming of age tale of lust and a hark back to the musical era of slick backed hair and fast cars, this movie assaults the senses and makes you want to watch it again and again. I think the best way to describe Cry-Baby is this - its Grease ... on crack.

• MisterYoda ?

  
  3 stars

• Jennifer D

  
  The WEIRDEST thing about watching this film was seeing Johnny Depp so young and so... well... natural. Think of Pirates, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, hell, even Edward Scissorhands, he always has a lot of make up. This was refreshing. I knew this was popular, but not mainstream… More
  The WEIRDEST thing about watching this film was seeing Johnny Depp so young and so... well... natural. Think of Pirates, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, hell, even Edward Scissorhands, he always has a lot of make up. This was refreshing. I knew this was popular, but not mainstream I never expected this... this was very, very, very weird, but I dug it! Quirky, but funny and very satirical in a sense. I all ready know I'm going to have to watch it again.

• Conner R

  
  A really funny and bizarre take on the whole Greaser/Jock social clash of the fifties. The fact that John Waters doesnâ??t take this as far as his other films makes it even more odd. You keep expecting something dirty and vile to pop out, but itâ??s really contained. However, you… More
  A really funny and bizarre take on the whole Greaser/Jock social clash of the fifties. The fact that John Waters doesnâ??t take this as far as his other films makes it even more odd. You keep expecting something dirty and vile to pop out, but itâ??s really contained. However, you really get the sense of this overall joke on the time period that never is revealed in the film. As a musical itâ??s extremely impressive and likable, which is not usually the reaction I have to the genre. Johnny Depp is obviously the standout, but the rest of the cast really supports him well. The visuals are great and itâ??s just an all around fun and sarcastic experience.

• Anthony L

  
  Classic John Waters. I liked this better than Hairspray and what a great cast! Iggy Pop's dancing did it for me!

• Aaron N

  
  Cry-Baby: That's right, Allison. My father was the "Alphabet Bomber." He may have been crazy, but he was my pop. Only one I ever had. Allison: God. I heard about the Alphabet Bomber. Bombs exploding in the... in the airport and barber shop... Cry-Baby: That's… More
  Cry-Baby: That's right, Allison. My father was the "Alphabet Bomber." He may have been crazy, but he was my pop. Only one I ever had. Allison: God. I heard about the Alphabet Bomber. Bombs exploding in the... in the airport and barber shop... Cry-Baby: That's right. All in alphabetical order. Car wash... drug store... I used to lay in my crib and hear him scream in his sleep..."A,B,C,D,E,F,G... BOOM! BOOM!" Allison: But your mom... Cry-Baby: My mother tried to stop him. She couldn't even spell, for Christ's sake, but they fried her too. A movie by John Waters is always gonna be weird, but I really got into this one. Its a wild and fun satire on 50s set musicals like Grease (which I hate, making me love this movie more) and old Elvis movies. It stars Johnny Depp as the dreamy "Drape" who sets to change a town divided between the Drapes and the Squares. It has a few musical numbers, bizarre humor, and strange characters, but I really enjoyed it. Baldwin: You think you're a big man, Cry-Baby, but you're lower than your dead father! And guess who pulled the switch on that jerk? My grandpappy, that's who! And every Christmas since, my whole family gathers together and he retells the story of the day he electrocuted your daddy, and we just laugh! Hatchet Face: Let me punch his ugly face! Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker: It's okay, Hatchet. You're beautiful, baby. But I'll take care of this maggot! Do you know how to play the automobile game called Chicken? Baldwin: Sure! My car and your jalopy! We head toward one other at full speed. First one to turn the wheel before we smash is a chicken! The Judge: Is that legal? Mrs. Vernon-Williams, Allison's Grandmother: Stop this insanity! Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker: I got some new rules, sucker! How 'bout you and me on top of the car? Baldwin: [hesitates] I'm man enough, you big cry baby! Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker: That's "Mr. Baby" to you! Fellas of the press, this chicken race tonight is for my daddy. And I'd like to sing something in his memory. Something hill-billy... something colored! [Baldwin groans] Wade "Cry-Baby" Walker: Something my daddy would have loved!

• Mark H

  
  Weird comedy musical from director John Waters has some lively bits, but misses the mark overall.

• Bannan i

  
  I love this parody of 50s era musicals.

• Curtis L

  
  Fun musical, 50's style. Jon Waters strangeness in it, and of course riki lake.

• Cassie H

  
  Interesting!!!!!!

• Cassandra M

  
  Don't expect to watch a movie in the style of "Grease" when you watch "Cry-Baby." This is a John Waters musical-comedy, and it's full of his style and humor. John Waters has his own style of directing, and his own style for writing dialogue. The dialogue… More
  Don't expect to watch a movie in the style of "Grease" when you watch "Cry-Baby." This is a John Waters musical-comedy, and it's full of his style and humor. John Waters has his own style of directing, and his own style for writing dialogue. The dialogue and acting are usually out of the mainstream norm, and viewers who are not familiar with John Waters may not enjoy his films unless they open their minds to possibilities of silly, ridiculous, vulgar, and campy humor. "Cry-Baby" is set in the 1950's, and it's mainly about two groups of people who don't accept each other: The drapes and the squares. The drapes don't have a lot of money, are more accepting to different types of people, and listen to the hep sounds of rhythm and blues and rockabilly. Some of them get involved with crime, and are juvenile delinquents. The squares are very conservative, have more money, more attitude, and listen to "your hit parade" music. The drapes will hang out with anyone as long as there's a good time to be had, and the squares only socialize with other squares. There is friction and disgust whenever the two types meet. Within this is a love story concerning Cry-Baby and Allison. Cry-Baby is a drape, and Allison is a square tired of being so conservative. Cry-Baby and Allison are attracted to each other, and Allison decides to associate with the drapes. Conflicts emerge, and drapes and squares clash. That sounds clichéd, but the movie has a lot of humor and atmosphere. It's also full of color, spirit, and fun music. The locations and sets create a 1950's atmosphere of small town and rural America. The cars, clothing, and hairstyles are also effective. Sometimes clothes, hairstyles, props, and sets are exaggerated and outrageous, but these are trademarks of John Waters' style and sense of humor. "Cry-Baby" has its charm, and is effective as both a comedy and a musical. The musical numbers are fun and lively, and a lot of care went into making the songs sound authentic to the period. They are also well choreographed. Some of the musical numbers were written for the movie, and a few songs were originally 1950's hits newly recorded for "Cry-Baby" (such as the song that opens the movie, Allison singing "Teenage Prayer," etc.) There are also original vintage recordings throughout the movie (my favorite is "Jungle Drums," by Earl Bostic, which really gives a summer feeling to the Turkey Point location.) The background score is also well done, and professionally orchestrated. This is a John Waters film, and you have to expect unusual characters, and unusual acting and dialogue delivery. The casting of the movie is an interesting mix of performers (another Waters' trademark), and very much a delight. The cast is terrific! Johnny Depp and Amy Locane are wonderful as the teenagers who are attracted to each other, but live in different worlds. Their pairing brings out a believable chemistry, and a sense of fun. Polly Bergen's performance is excellent as the extremely conservative matriarch who finally learns how to have a good time with people who are different. Susan Tyrrell is as offbeat as she can be (see her in the bizarre musical-comedy "Forbidden Zone"), and Iggy Pop is interesting in his role. Ricki Lake returns in her second John Waters movie as Cry-Baby's pregnant sister. Kim McGuire, Darren E. Burrows, and Traci Lords create fun characters who are in Cry-Baby's gang and music group. Kim McGuire has a knack for creating a character who's kookie and bold, and yet deserves sympathy at times. Traci Lords is very good at comedy, and it would be nice to see her in more comedies. She does a great job with her mostly-cranky, tough-girl character. Stephen Mailer does a fine job of creating a character you really learn to loathe. "Cry-Baby" also features small parts played by noted stars such as Troy Donahue, Joe Dallesandro, Joey Heatherton, David Nelson, Willem Dafoe, and John Waters regular Mink Stole. Patricia Hearst Makes her feature film debut, and is very amusing as the naive mother of a drape daughter. "Cry-Baby" was a lot of fun to watch on the big screen, and I'm again enjoying it since it's been released on DVD (with added scenes that were cut for its theatrical release.) "Cry-Baby" is a snazzy and fun musical-comedy that seems to be pleasing people who are not regular John Waters fans! By the way, I was a scrape (part square, part drape) in high school, but that's a different story from a different era.

• Elvira B

  
  This is a really entertaining musical comedy about the two "gangs" in a 1950s Baltimore school: the good kids (Squares) and the bad kids (Drapes), of which Cry Baby is the leader. It's a class conflict instead of a race conflict (Hairspray). I reallllllyyyy enjoyed… More
  This is a really entertaining musical comedy about the two "gangs" in a 1950s Baltimore school: the good kids (Squares) and the bad kids (Drapes), of which Cry Baby is the leader. It's a class conflict instead of a race conflict (Hairspray). I reallllllyyyy enjoyed this movie. I liked the super technicolor palette, the musical numbers, and the absurd situations. It's cute, funny, and intermittently irreverent (it is, after all, a John Waters movie). The music is pretty awesome, and so are the caricaturesque characters through and through. Johnny Depp is really the quintessential bad boy, bordering between the sexy and the ridiculous. I also loved the fact that it was kind of a blast from the past thing- a plot without overwhelming complications, silly, and uncomitted to making any intellectual commentaries, while still being intelligent and well-made. John Waters said it was about differences between social classes... but if you don't see that, you don't entirely miss out on the quality. It's just as fun, and I think the message lingers alone. I recommend it 100%. You can actually have a terrific time watching something that isn't utter crap, a musical film that is neither pretentious nor stupid in its shallowness (like other "50s" musicals... GREASE anybody?). Loved it loved it loved it. PS Iggy Pop taking a bath in a bucket or something! I just never get tired of that man. Also, my DVD version includes terrific special features - I loved the whole "It Came from Baltimore" bit, laughed my way through it. Get it if you can :)

• A B

  
  Grease-style musical with Johnny Depp

• Rachel F

  
  This is a really good movie. It's a little cheesy, but it's supposed to be that way. It'll make you laugh.

• Keysha H

  
  This is a John Waters classic! So kitch but so good!!!!

• Cherry D

  
  "you got it, you got it RAW!"

• Nani V

  
  It was cheesy, but, I liked it...

• Candy R

  
  goofy movie about disfunctional teenagers.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings