Movie Review: Dreamgirls

Dreamgirls was one of the first Broadway shows I saw as a young child, and the film, like the show, has left me with much the same response – incredible singers and an excellent story that becomes less focused halfway through, reducing a powerful plot to merely a device for a musical review.

That said, Dreamgirls has a lot to recommend it.  For one thing, it’s a fairly traditional movie musical, something that we’ve been told since the release of 1999’s rather untraditional movie musical, Moulin Rouge, was going to make a comeback.  Of course, it didn’t.  Instead, we got Chicago, which masked mediocre dancing with quick cuts and attempted to naturalize the Broadway musical by making the song and dance numbers effectively dream sequences or products of an insane mind.  Dreamgirls accepts itself as it is.  People do burst into song somewhat randomly in this world, but since this world is about song, it’s not all that jarring.  But it is nice that the traditional conceits of the musical are left intact here.  And predictably, but thankfully, the design of the film – lights, sets and costumes -- is also impeccable.

Also fabulous about Dreamgirls are the performances.  Beyonce is great; you’re never cogniscant of her being “another pop star trying to act."  Jaime Foxx, unfortunately, isn’t really given enough to do and is completely overshadowed by an utterly standout and surprising performance from Eddie Murphy who manages to be funny, sexy, poignant and powerful all at the same time – words I so never thought I’d say, I never thought about not saying them.  Easily, the film is at its best when he’s on screen and at times drags when he’s not.  Finally, Jennifer Hudson, known to us only from American Idol, gives an astounding vocal and emotional performance as Effie.  She makes songs I’ve long thought boring or cliché come to gut wrenching life.  She’s a force to be reckoned with – if there are more of the right sort of parts out there for her.

If you love the music of this era or have a fondness for the stage show, Dreamgirls is a must see movie.  Otherwise, many can wait for DVD, but there is something special about experiencing a theater burst into applause after each musical number.  Dreamgirls provides the all too rare communal movie going experience as it was meant to be.