Directed by:
Bill CondonScreenplay:
Bill CondonCinematography:
Tobias A. SchliesslerComposer:
Henry KriegerCast:
Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose, Keith Robinson, Sharon Leal, Ken Page, Loretta Devine, John Lithgow (more)VOD (6)
Plots(1)
Musical drama which follows the meteoric rise of a 1960s all-girl vocal group. Based on the 1981 Broadway hit musical, the film follows singer Effie White (Jennifer Hudson) and her school friends, Deena Jones (Beyonce Knowles) and Lorrell Robinson (Anika Noni Rose), aka The Dreamettes. They're a Chicago amateur vocal group who enter the famous amateur night at the legendary Harlem Apollo in New York singing a song by Effie's brother, CC (Keith Robinson), and come out on top. The girls meet sweet-talking Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx), a promoter and manager who in no time gets the star-struck gang the gig as back up vocalists for the famous Jimmy 'Thunder' Early (Eddie Murphy). The match is perfect and their combined career takes off. However, things soon get complicated when Lorrell begins dating married man Jimmy, and Effie starts getting busy with Curtis, and when the two acts part ways, The Dreamettes become famous in their own right, while Jimmy's career tanks in a mire of smooth-pop balladry. (Paramount Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (3)
I can definitely get into this RnB. Catchy songs that never get old, songs with a charge, topped by beautiful performers with even more beautiful voices. And that goes for Beyoncé, too. Incredible casting, even with actors like Jamie Foxx or Eddie Murphy involved. Eddie in particular is incredible. Why doesn't he get these types of roles more often? It's not epic, it's not visually extravagant, but it has a story and great songs. This is how a contemporary musical should look.
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How can it be possible for characters to constantly sing out their innermost feelings and yet leave the audience knowing nothing about them? Bill Condon's musical proves that it is indeed possible. A charismatic character suddenly transforms from one minute to the next into a cunning traitor, while an uncontrollable wild woman naturally softens and everyone leaves happily... or not? Certainly not me, because this is not enough for me. Musicals have often shown that you can see deeply into a character through a single song. That's why it's maddening when Dreamgirls doesn't know when to stop singing. When there's a slightly more intense moment, its appropriate for an emotional exchange of dialogue to be followed by a powerful song, and yet here the main characters are screaming at each other in a chaotic, tuneless number that just feels awkward to me. The atmosphere is lacking, and a few interesting camera movements won't save it. The only positive aspect remains Eddie Murphy and his divine performance. And yet it seems to me that the creators didn't even want to let him shine and they take away as much space from him as possible.
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If R´n´B music is sounds to you like the castrato singing of Pavel Horňák sounds for me (for those who remember), or nowadays, for example, the wailing of Tokyo Hotel (I'm still shivering now), then avoid Condon's film. Here you won't find sophisticated storylines, but a simple straightforward plot about "Cinderellas" who came to happiness and the pitfalls of their fame, which is based only on black music and strong voices. Oscar-winning Jennifer Hudson is – let's face it – not much of an actress, but when she belts, things happen. She handles all vocal positions with ease and when she gets it "hot", she could cut concrete with her powerful voice. Her desperate confession before New Year's Eve is an eruption of emotions, a permanent goosebump and a marathon of chills down my back. Eddie Murphy deserved his Oscar nomination just because he doesn't fart, scream or make a fool of himself, I would hang Beyonce on my wall (poster), and I’m liking the charismatic Jamie Foxx more and more.
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