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Dreamgirls

If the spirit of Diana Ross’ glory days forced its way into the body of a modern-day pop star, it would definitely have been Beyoncé. They’ve got so much in common. They both fronted hugely successful girl groups, only to later abandon them to appease their egos (and wallets) with solo careers. They share the same generic, uninspiring vocal quality. Both are the quintessential pop icon of their time. And, if Diana Ross was forced to act in a movie based on similar experiences as hers with The Supremes, she’d probably be just as bad.

Beyoncé isn’t that bad, she’s just the easiest one to target. Because through all the hoopla surrounding the lavish marketing campaign, and all the talk of awards season sweeps, there simply isn’t anything wrong with the film. And that scares people. It scares people that a film could be that spectacular, people stand up and applaud mid-way through the film. It scares people that musicals and films are finally crossing over. And it definitely scares people (well, at least Beyoncé) that a first-time actress could bedazzle the Academy, win loads of awards and shoot to superstardom all in her first film.

Director Bill Condon was largely responsible for the only other successful modern musical to grace the silver screen, Chicago. After Chicago took home six Academy Awards in 2002, including best picture, the acclaimed, yet understated director finally had the clout to push a project which had been circling around the industry for years. And thank God he did. As both director and co-writer (he did only the latter in Chicago), Condon took everything that made Chicago special and added a whole lot more glitter. His Dreamgirls is, in one word, exquisite.

Much like the Supremes’ rise to stardom and inevitable conflict, it is obvious everyone involved in the project, both behind the scenes and on the front lines, believed in its promise and wanted to succeed. The acting is spirited, something that transcends a mere paycheck and a pretty face (and for good reason – Condon and the cast took a substantial pay cut). Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Jennifer Hudson all give outstanding performances in their leading roles. And Beyoncé, Anika Noni Rose and the rest of the cast manage to pull everything off without a hitch. Notice I didn’t single anybody out. And let me say for the record, she’s good. But she’s not that good. And I’m not denying she may take home the golden boy in February, but it isn’t the second coming of Christ.

What’s more impressive than any of the performances, and what truly makes the film special, is how seamless the drama flows from musical number to dialogue and back again. In the unforgettable show-stopper, we see the entire cast on stage in a tiff, and in what feels like a magical split-second, hear a whisper of the words “And I Am Telling You…” and Ms. Hudson comes out from the faint limelight. It’s moments like those which take us out of our seats and into the world of the 70’s-era Motown revolution. More than mere seeing and hearing, we feel the racism, skepticism, and hope which parlays the film’s characters into a whirlwind of failure and success, truth and lies, and sheer joy. I won’t be telling people to run to the theater. But, I will tell them that if they want to have a truly encapsulating experience which brings out the best film has to offer, maybe, just maybe, head on over. And pick up your feet while you’re at it.

Written by: Jason Villemez

Reviewers Rating: 9
Reader's Rating: 10.00
Reader's Votes: 1

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