It's January. And therefore really not the time to be seeing any movie which can be classified as ' gritty', 'poignant' or 'bittersweet'. We need flash and trash, glitz and glamour, fabulous costumes and big dance numbers. Yes, our first Movie of the Month is Dreamgirls.
It feels like I've been waiting half a lifetime to see this movie.
I'm the hugest fan of soul and dance music and have long had a much treasured and played 7" (yes, an actual RECORD) of Jennifer Holliday singing the showstopping 'And I am telling you' from the original Broadway musical in my collection.
Add to this the fact that newcomer Jennifer Hudson, my favourite ever contestant on American Idol, had been sensationally cast as Effie White - the character who sings 'And I am telling you' - after a huge round of open auditions, and I was pretty excited about the whole project. And it more or less fulfilled my expectations.
The film, and of the musical on which it is based, is a thinly-disguised reworking of the truelife story of the rise of The Supremes. The Dreamettes go from enthusiastic backing group, headed up by the big-voiced, big 'boned' Effie, to superstar girlband - following the removal of Effie from lead vocals and her replacement by the slim, gorgeous' thinner voiced but more commercial sounding Deena (Beyonce'). This mirrors the replacement of original Supreme Florence Ballard by Diana Ross back in the 60s.
The casting is superb. Jennifer Hudson is incredible and well worthy of her Golden Globe award and all the Oscar buzz. Her huge personality lights up the screen every time she appears and her acting is a revelation. She sings the hell, and her heart and soul, out of the signature song - which is the stand-out moment in the film - and she pretty much dominates the whole movie. (SPOILER. The vid below is of the big number.).
I'm sort of glad that all her nominations are for Best Supporting Actress, as she is not up against Meryl Streep and Helen Mirren in that category, but it's a bit of a joke that Beyonce' is considered to be the 'leading' actress in the film.
In an interesting parallel to the movie, though, you can see why J-Hud was famously criticised by Simon Cowell on Idol. Sure, she can sing amazingly, but her voice is old-fashioned and she's a bit stompy as a performer and dancer. It's really as an actress that she completely comes into her own.
Beyonce', on the other hand, is a bland and robotic actress - and therefore perfect casting as the malleable, personality-free Deena - but absolutely tears up the screen as a performer in the big stage numbers - the camera loves her and she becomes a superstar before one's very eyes. A special mention should here be made about her costumes and make-up which are just gorgeous. In fact the whole film is beautifully lit and shot.
Jamie Foxx does an OK job as Curtis Taylor, the somewhat one-dimensional Berry Gordy character who will do absolutely anything to commercialise black music, but the absolute standout for me, perhaps even more so than Hudson, was Eddie Murphy.
Why does one always forget just how good this guy is? He plays a Marvin Gaye-alike artist on Taylor's roster who compromises his musical integrity for the sake of Taylor's vision - and in Murphy's hands is deeply poignant, hilariously funny, and the most incredible performer, with a very creditable voice.
The bits that aren't so good are the plot - which is superficial at best and betrays the play's stage musical roots - and, less forgivably, the music.
Aside from the big Effie White number, the tunes are so-so pastiches of Motown and 70s disco numbers and just not worthy of the great singing and full-on production values.
The ending was not as overly-sentimental as it could have been, but is the one area where the screenplay differs majorly from the real-life story. Bear in mind when you watch the film that Florence Ballard died in poverty at the age of 32 and it will seem all the more moving.
Anyway, if you're in any way a fan of black music, black music history, Motown, 70s fashion, Jennifer Hudson or Eddie Murphy then run to see this film.
And even if you're not, what the hell, go and see it anyway, it's not the greatest film ever but it's immensely enjoyable and two hours will just fly by.
Just remembered to pop over here and see your review - am HUGELY looking forward to seeing this. Trouble is that I'm far too sentimental, and remembering that Florence Ballard died in poverty at the age of 32 will have me howling...
Dxx
Posted by: Diane | January 26, 2007 at 10:24 AM
Well, yes that fact had me weeping as well.
Which is why I thought it was nice that J Hud remembered Ballard in her Golden Globes acceptance speech.
Posted by: Paola | January 26, 2007 at 04:53 PM