Dreamgirls - Fame Comes And Goes, Stars Rise And Fall, But Dreams Live Forever
Duration : 130 minutes (2 hours 10 minutes) Genre : Musical Certification : PG-13
“Though it seems long and its pace occasionally lags, it certainly struck me as a well-mounted, gloriously eye-filling and often exhilarating entertainment that brings back some of the delicious excitement of the great movie musicals.”
-William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Based on Henry Krieger and Tom Eyen’s 1981 Broadway hit, this is a rousing tale of fame, triumph, exploitation and betrayal.
Multiple-Oscar winning movie ‘Chicago’ (2002) screenwriter Bill Condon co-wrote and directed this glittering musical.
Set in the 60s and 70s, the story is loosely based on the real-life band, Diana Ross-led ‘The Supremes’ and their tussle with the well-known Motown Records.
Effie (Jennifer Hudson), Deena (Beyonce Knowles) and Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose) are Detroit-based young African-American singers. Effie’s brother C.C. (Keith Robinson) writes toe-tapping numbers for them. What the motivated singers band evidently lacks is a resourceful manager. In this situation, Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie Foxx), a notorious businessman, spots this trio in a talent search competition and gives them a tempting offer. Excited about their bright future, the triplets accept the offer of working with the popular star, James ‘Thunder’ Early (Eddie Murphy).
While the sizzling black girls band rocks across the white-dominated America on stage, what’s happening backstage is not so pleasant. Ditching the less attractive Effie from his personal and professional life, Curtis marries the alluring Deena to boost his image. When Effie is leading a poverty-stricken life, the opportunistic Curtis even goes to an extent of stealing her lesser-known songs. Soon, like Effie, the other two starlets also taste the bitter side of stardom and they realize the cost of fame is certainly higher than they ever imagined…
In the star-studded extravaganza, the standout performer is Jennifer Hudson, who visibly stamps her presence in every single scene she appears.
Especially, the show’s signature number “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”, she mesmerizes the audience with her high-pitched vocal finesse.
The impeccable supporting cast—Beyonce Knowles, Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy—also deliver energetic performances.
Packed with jazz, pop, R&B, rock & roll and soul music, it is a sumptuous feast to the viewers, who enjoy different kinds of music.
Opportunistic people, marketing-driven music industry, stardom and its darker side – the movie gives a valid hindsight on everything.
Boasting lovely music and enticing songs, this ardently scripted, character-driven movie touches our heart with its ‘pitch-perfect’ beat.
by
Srini