Johnny Depp plays troublemaker Wade - Cry Baby - Walker who falls for pretty rich girl Allison (Amy Locane) and she falls for him.

The liaison is put in jeopardy throughout by her 'square' boyfriend who schemes to break them apart; along with a girl besotted with Cry Baby who claims she is having his baby.

Cry Baby is imprisoned in the Maryland Training School for Boys after a 'gang war' which he did not start. Allison turns against Cry Baby thinking he is bad, but really loves him loads...

But our hero isn't bad, not at all, no sir...

A jail break fails, but the judge who sentenced him has fallen for Allison's grandmother (Mrs Vernon-Williams). In the best musical tradition: The judge releases Cry Baby so that Allison can be happy again!

Hatchet face - Kim McGuire, Belvedere - Iggy Pop, Ramona - Susan Tyrrell, Mrs Vernon-Williams - Polly Bergen

"Nobody can resist the kind heart and forbidden hips of a naughty good guy like our Cry Baby."

"Has everything a teen musical needs, except the words: 'I know, let's put on a show.'"

"From frumpy, no nonsense, square, grandmother, to super cheeky age-enhanced vixen. Bravisimo gran."

"All this, and tattoos to boot. A light-dark humored melee of conjugality. Not a nasty movie, but I had flashbacks to Kissing Cousins throughout - a movie which is truly awful. I want my money back just in case."

"I have never seen a genuine game of chicken (using chickens) in all of my 1950's movies watching years."

An Elvis parody and more. A triumph of cartoon styling, all marinaded in a delicious musical sauce.

If middle of the road music does not send you running for the exit, you will enjoy this movie. When the rock n' roll kicks in, your toes will be tapping, and possibly your pelvis a pounding, depending on your level of hysteria, and your suppleness.

To say this is a masterpiece is not an over statement. This movie takes one along on a strangely wonderful John Waters journey, but, thankfully not over-strange, achieving a satisfying 1950's-Elvis-Movieville. The King is with us in spirit throughout. U-huh!