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66%
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Ranked #1,957
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Detroit, the early 1960s. Curtis Taylor, Jr., a car salesman, breaks into the music business with big dreams. He signs a trio of young women, the Dreamettes, gets them a job backing an R&B performer, James "Thunder" Early, establishes his own record label and starts wheeling and dealing. When Early flames out, Curtis makes the Dreamettes into headliners as the Dreams, but not before demoting their hefty big-voiced lead singer, Effie White, and putting the softer-voiced looker, Deena Jones, in front. Soon after, he fires Effie, sends her into a life of proud poverty, and takes Deena and the Dreams to the top. How long can Curtis stay there, and will Effie ever get her due?
--IMDb
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One of the best new trends is Hollywood is adapting stage musicals to the screen. It all kicked off with the tremendous success of "Chicago" in 2002, which took home the Best Picture Academy Award as well as hundreds of millions of box office dollars. We were next hit with the adaptation of the Andrew Lloyd Webber hit, "The Phantom of the Opera". Early expectations were high and the film was expected to sweep the Oscars. However, the Joel Schumacher directed flop turned out to be nothing more than unsubstantiated buzz. The film wreaked. "Rent" followed, a sure-fire fan favorite and a very emotional undertaking. The film received mixed reviews, did all right at the box office, but nothing amazing, and quickly turned into 'a film for the fans' type of deal. Musical theatre lovers appreciated it, but few others. "The Producers" was another film over-hyped into being a giant, but turned out to be the stage version on screen - nothing new at all. Not even a dynamite Nathan Lane could save the film from being maudlin. "Dreamgirls" is the latest stage musical turned motion picture, and it is handled by the great Bill Condon, whose "Gods & Monsters" showed us that Brendan Fraser can act, and whose "Kinsey" was one of the best films of that year and gave us show-stopping performances from Liam Neeson and Laura Linney. Few know that Condon has been involved on Broadway in numerous capacities for years, so tackling a musical like this is not as outlandish as it might seem for him. This is the end result...
The story of "Dreamgirls" is eerily similar to the story of Diana Ross & The Supremes. The musical, released in 1980, was a smash hit on the stage, and lead actress Jennifer Holliday took home the Tony for Best Actress for possibly the greatest female vocal of all-time. The musical has become stuff of legend in the theatre world. It follows the rise of three young girls, Effie White (Jennifer Hudson), Deena Jones (Beyonce Knowles), and Lorrell Robinson (Anika Noni Rose), as they rise to stardom. At first, they are merely back-up singers for the kinetic James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy), until their manager Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie Foxx) convinces them to go solo, and turns them into a sensation. Halfway through the film, there is a rift between Effie and the rest of the girls and that is when "Dreamgirls" turns into more than just another cheeky musical. Danny Glover offers support as Marty Madison, the old veteran manager, and Keith Robinson as Effie's brother and the group's songwriter, C.C. White. "Dreamgirls" centers on the ups and downs of the main characters - from Curtis' descent into vicious corporate domination to James Early's slide into depression that eventually leads to a cocaine addiction. There's a lot going on in "Dreamgirls" and you have to pay attention so you don't miss anything. The pace is too chaotic to blink.
What separates "Dreamgirls" from other adaptations like "Chicago" and "Rent" is the way the picture is filmed. "Chicago" was also shot with the same high-energy style, but "Dreamgirls" is running on a whole different engine. The numbers are sharp and crisp and superbly executed, the editing montages are bright and colorful and picture perfect, and the camera makes everyone in this film look just sensational - even a wigged John Lithgow as a film producer. Director Bill Condon has taken all the 'razzle dazzle' from the Broadway stage, amped it up about ten degrees and produced a better musical adaptation than "Chicago" could ever hope to be. So, the early buzz for this film has been more than accurate - "Dreamgirls" is the first sure Oscar contender. And, the show-stopping number is still "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going)", delivered with raw emotion by newcomer Jennifer Hudson. This song takes her through every emotion imaginable and the audience was out of their seats cheering when all was said and done. How great is it when a movie audience stands up and cheers for a film? That's what going to the movies is all about. Along with the cheering in "Rocky Balboa", it was the second time in two days when I was able to witness an audience so overcome with emotion and happiness. Beyonce turns up the heat with "Listen", a remarkable number in the show that demonstrates her range, as well as her stunning beauty. Those are the two show-stoppers in the film, alongside "One Night Only", another Hudson standout.
In the realm of performances, the early Oscar buzz is right on the money again. Jennifer Hudson has Best Supporting Actress all but sewn up. How amazing for a booted American Idol contestant to find Oscar gold in her very first film performance? Count on it. However, I don't understand why she's not being pushed for Best Actress - I firmly believe Helen Mirren would be taking a backseat to her in that category, and don't see the push for Beyonce working out well. In his finest role to date, Eddie Murphy is pure energy as James "Thunder" Early, and he definitely looks to be having the most fun out of anyone in the film. He's all over the place, channeling everyone from James Brown to Stevie Wonder to Sly and the Family Stone. Count on Eddie getting the nomination, but he's really going to have to push to slide by Jack Nicholson or Jackie Earle Haley for the win. I don't know if the Academy is ready for Eddie quite yet. And, though sometimes a little bland, Beyonce carries the weight of Deena Jones with much grace and appeal. She really does deliver, despite what a lot of skeptics had been thinking. Newcomer Anika Noni Rose also sparkles in a strong supporting role, as does Danny Glover, always solid and always dependable. The only performance that I found slightly weak was Jamie Foxx. He picks up steam at the end and goes out with a punch, but early on he didn't seem like he knew who his character was or what he wanted out of it. Like I said, he came into it nicely, but it is definitely the weakest in the picture.
So, there we have it - the buzz was right, for a change. Go figure. Director Bill Condon has another gem on his hands, and he is quickly becoming one of the finest directors Hollywood has to offer, and I am putting him in the same league as the Curtis Hansons and the Alexander Paynes for his ability to churn out hit after hit. He's got us forgetting all about "Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh". So, when the Oscars are announced, don't be surprised to find "Dreamgirls" mentioned more than a few times. It is the finest musical adaptation in many, many years - a rollercoaster ride of energy and emotion - and one of the best films of the year. So, that's Jennifer Hudson for Best Supporting Actress, Eddie Murphy for Best Supporting Actor, Bill Condon for Best Director, and a Best Picture nod as well. I am sure it will scrape up a few technical nods as well. "Dreamgirls" is all it is cracked up to be and more - there's a reason it had an $8 million opening day. Find this film at a theatre near you and experience it for yourself. Don't walk blindly into awards season.
10/10.
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