Movie Critique
Dreamgirls
First the nuts and bolts. “Dreamgirls” is the new (December 2006) movie based on the 1981 play of the same name. An African-American singing group (think of Diana Ross and the Supremes) makes it big by appealing to the white mainstream audience. A Berry Gordy (founder of Motown Records) character, played by Academy Award winner, Jamie Foxx as Curtis Taylor, Jr., takes control of the group and pushes it to the top.
A James Brown-like singer, James “Thunder” Early, played by Eddie Murphy, blazes across the screen, his star rising as he plays to black audiences, and falling as he tries to appeal to the mainstream audience.
On their way to making it, Fox/Taylor Jr. jettisons the best singer of the Dreamgirls group, Effie White, played by American Idol semi-finalist Jennifer Hudson, a full-sized (fat) member of the group (she gained 20 pounds for the role), in favor of Deena Jones, played by Beyonce Knowles, the pretty, slender member of the group (Dreamettes) who sings well and looks great. Foxx gets his comeuppance in the end.
Critique. If you know the Motown story (and/or have seen the play) the story line is predictable. What makes it several pegs above ordinary are three unexpected, superior performances.
Kudos first to Jennifer Hudson. New to the movies, they let her use her fantastic voice to good effect. She is a good actress when she trades dialogue with the other actors. But when she sings, she is a great actress. It is clear that her passion and heart are in the vocals. It doesn’t hurt to be handed one of the great songs in all of musical theatre, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” in response to her being kicked out of the group and tossed aside by her lover, Foxx/Taylor, Jr. This song, five minutes in length, closed the first act in the theatrical version, sending the audience into the lobby at intermission praising the song and the singer. In the movie version, people applaud and even stand at the end of Jennifer’s song. She's already won a dozen Critics' Awards and has snagged a Golden Globe Best Supporting Actress nomination. She'll probably win it at the January, 2007 Awards ceremonies. She will probably be nominated for an Oscar in the coming weeks. And will probably win it.
Beyonce Knowles. Beautiful and talented, she has to key her performance down a notch to play opposite Hudson. She has to be the cool one, the one who knows that her looks are first but her talent second to Effie/Hudson. She is the one who allows Foxx/Taylor, Jr. to create the look and sound that will appeal to the white audience and bring in the bigger bucks. It is not easy to walk that chalk line but she is right on target. Another Golden Globe nominee, for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical.
Eddie Murphy. Forget everything you ever knew about Eddie Murphy as an actor. Here, he creates a whole new character, never delving back into the recognizable gems of his past. James “Thunder” Early is an original creation as a playful, philandering, talented, ambitous, and suffering artist, worthy of the awards (nominated for Golden Globe as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Musical) to come. Another Oscar nomination is in the cards here.
Writer-Director Bill Condon has taken a property that has almost become a cliché over the years and has freshened it and improved it with top performances from his stars. Dreamgirls is up for still another Golden Globe (and probably another Oscar nomination as well) for Best Picture. It is worth seeing - a couple of times at least.
Murphy James is the pen name of Harry Murphy. He has been published in men's magazines, business journals, gaming publications, and newspapers. His website is http://www.murphyjames.com
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