By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 1.5 cats
Director: Adam Shankman
Starring: Brooke Lynn Hytes | Ginger Minj | Jujubee | Latrice Royale | Marty Lauter | RuPaul Charles
Year: 2026
Running time: 90
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38128726/
Michael says: “AIRPLANE on a train with drag queens. That’s the tagline for the new film from HAIRSPRAY director Adam Shankman. And if you can’t tell by the overuse of exclamation marks, STOP! THAT! TRAIN! is way over the top and wants you to know it. As someone who is not a fan of the ‘self-proclaimed’ stupid humor of films like AIRPLANE, this film was not made for me. I considered not attending, but it was opening night, completely sold-out, and I wanted to be there in support as a Board Member of the Provincetown Film Society. Not surprisingly, I didn’t enjoy the films, surprisingly, it wasn’t as bad as I was dreading, and it was peppered with some amusing cameos.
“When best friends Dee Dee (Jujubee) and Tess (Ginger Minj) find themselves jobless when the train service they work for, Stank Rail, goes out of business, they are bereft. Opportunity comes knocking when the high-end Glamazonian Express rail service is seeking two replacements as soon as possible. Somehow the pair end up with the jobs, but they are relegated to coach by the three hostesses that run a very tight Glamazonian rail service. As the train begins its cross-country journey, a nerdy train traffic controller, Donna Dusk (Rachel Bloom), realizes that it is careening directly into the path of the worst super-storm every recorded, and there is little chance of anyone on the train surviving unless it can be rerouted. Her predictions are laughed at and it is up to her to try and save the day with only Dee Dee and Tess to help out. Somehow President Gagwell (yes, POTUS – played by RuPaul, with the full authority of her Drag Race persona) gets involved and everything just careens forward like a runaway train.
“The crowd loved it. It was good dumb fun. And I’m just a humorless curmudgeon who needs to lighten up. 1 1/2 cats
“Screened June 10, at the Provincetown Town Hall
Provincetown International Film Festival Opening Night”