DREAMGIRLS MOVIE Review - And I Am Telling You: Oscar's Gonna Love It

[CapnHook]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 11:07pm

I just came back from a press screening of DREAMGIRLS. Here are some quick thoughts and points, a full review will be posted later:

POSSIBLE SPOILERS (nothing major):

- The film ran roughly 2 hours and 10 minutes

- Beyonce's entrance got cheers from audience

- Eddie Murphy's entrance got laughs

- HUGE audience laugh in a scene where Eddie Murphy sings to an audience that's primarily white.

- HUGE laugh at Anika's line "I love Jimmy, but not that much"

- IMHO, "Family" didn't work as a sung-thru song

- AND I AM TELLING YOU - I have never seen cinema like this before. Jennifer Hudson's performance was SPECTACULAR. It got a ROARING applause. Very intense. She will get an Oscar nod and she deserves the trophy. I was SHOCKED at how impressed I was with her performance throughout the film.

- "Jimmy wants a piece of that chocolate cake" got the longest and loudest laugh of the night.

- I was disappointed that the line "I got a show to do" ususally sung by Lorell was spoken. But it worked.

- When the drag queen is shown backstage after Anika leaves Jimmy to perform, the audience made a unison "Ewwww"

- John Lithgow's cameo got a lot of giggles, but he was good in that role.

- The new song "Listen" was AMAZING. A lock for a Best Song nomination.

- All the transitions from scene to scene in the film were very unique and suited the feel of the film very weel. Kudos to Bill Condon.

- The ending left me with an awkward feeling. It's not a satisfactory ending - I WANT MORE!!

- Beyonce shocked the HELL OUT OF ME! I wasn't sure how I would like her, but she was SUPERB! FLAWLESS! I never thought I would say this, but she SHOULD get an Oscar nod!

More later...

[gonnapassmealaw]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 11:14pm

Interesting. Thanks for the review--hope you had a good time. Could you possibly go a little more in depth about the performances especially from Hudson and Knowles?

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 11:17pm

What was the ending of the movie?

[vjRichie]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 11:23pm

The theatre was barely half full, so I don't know who received passes, no press folks I recognized here in Columbus.

I know I will be seeing this movie again in December!

Updated On: 11/15/06 at 11:23 PM

[Rentaholic2]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 12:04am

Just saw it also...CRAZY night. Right when it got to "And I Am Telling You," the moment we'd all been waiting for, the FREAKING FIRE ALARM WENT OFF. We had to evacuate and wait for the firemen to check it up before finishing the movie (Harry from Ain'titcoolnews.com was there too). So we had an intermission of sorts, ironically right about where intermission would have been in the show.

Anyway, the film was pretty amazing. Jennifer blew me away on several songs, and I was surprisingly impressed with Beyonce's acting. Eddie Murphy was perfect, as was Anika Noni Rose (she really almost stole the movie for me--I loved every minute she was on screen).

I agree with CapnHook about "Family"...I have never seen the show or heard much of the music before this, so I don't know how it was different from the stage production--it just felt a little awkward to me, partly because the song is so incredibly CHEEEEEESY.

I disagree about the ending, though. I remember the first time I saw the movie "Chicago"--I was unfamiliar with the musical at the time, and at the end, I wasn't quite sure if it was over. I didn't have that feeling here. The ending was very satisfying to me and sweetly filmed.

Some of the things Condon did to not freak people out with the whole characters-randomly-breaking-out-into-song thing were interesting. I realize that many of the musical numbers in Dreamgirls are meant to be "performances," so this helps, but most of them played for a bit, then just served as background music for bits of scenes. Does that make sense? Not necessarily a complaint, just an observation.

I left this movie with the same feeling that I left "Chicago" (again, I wasn't familiar with either of these musicals before seeing the movies). I wasn't exactly sure what I just saw--it was too much to take in. But I knew I liked it, and my only option is to glady see it again. :)


EDIT: OH! And good luck convincing the world that Jennifer Hudson is a Supporting Actress in this movie. I want her to be nominated and possibly win an Oscar as much as anyone, but honestly--I have a hard time believing that this story was any more about Deeyna than Effie. Apparently Beyonce had more screen time...it certainly didn't seem like it. And the fact that Jennifer has several big solos makes her stand out as a lead.
Updated On: 11/16/06 at 12:04 AM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 12:06am

The film opens and ends exactly like the stage-version. Verbatim.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 12:09am

Bill Condon has yet to disappoint - his award-winning films "Gods & Monsters" and "Kinsey" were first-rate and critically praised. His screenplay for "Chicago" allowed for a unique approach of a musical film in which audiences could easily accept the characters were singing to each other instead of speaking dialogue. We all know what happened next: the film won Best Picture. With "Dreamgirls," Condon keeps his outstanding track record with yet another piece of exceptional cinema.

"Dreamgirls" tells a story similar to that of Diana Ross, a '60s girl group The Dreams (the Supremes) begin to make their way to the top singing backup for James 'Thunder' Early (Eddie Murphy). Wanting bigger and better fame, manager Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie Foxx) decides it's time for a change. He puts Deena Jones (Beyonce Knowles) in the spotlight as lead and sends Effie White (Jennifer Hudson) to the background joining third component of their trio, Lorrell Robinson (Anika Noni Rose). Unable to deal with the constantly "sick" and late-to-rehearsal diva Effie White has become, it's decided it is best to kick Effie out of the group. Later, after much heartbreak and turmoil all around, Effie seeks revenge on Curtis and goes solo.

The talent in this film is explosive on screen. Each demanding role was cast perfectly. Keith Robinson (C.C. White), Anika Noni Rose, Danny Glover (Marty), and Sharon Leal (Effie's replacement) all support the film with first-rate performances - especially Rose whose voice and presence saddenly remain in the background too much throughout the film. The small scenes she is featured in are gems.

Murphy is back and couldn't be in better shape. He brings so much energy, depth, and soul to his character that Oscar could be knocking on his front door demanding an encore. Foxx is an efficient Curtis, bringing just the right mixture of villain and a man with a dream - a misguided hero of sorts.

The most surprising and jaw-dropping performances, however, belong to newcomer Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce Knowles. Knowles has certainly proved herself as a dynamic performer: not only can she sing her "boney ass" off, but her acting chops are stellar. We all knew she could sing and dance, though I don't expect anyone could have imagined she would dazzle us on screen. Her Deena was honest, sensitive, bold, and just stunning.

The hero of the film, however, is American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson. Half-way into the picture, she sings a powerful, intense, dynamite, and emotionally raw "And I Am Telling You" - perhaps the musical's most famous song originally sung by Jennifer Holliday on Broadway. At the press screening attended also by local moviegoers, the audience broke into thunderous cheers and applause, with about half getting up on their feet. She may not have won a reality TV game show, but I smell gold for her come February. Who knew?

Bill Condon must have knew. Hudson beat out hundreds of front-runners for the role from a nationwide casting call, including the American Idol winner herself, Fantasia Burrino. About a month before filming began, Condon took Hudson under his wing and worked on every scene of the movie. Whatever magic occured during those 30 days certainly paid off.

Again and again, Condon keeps proving himself as a master of cinema. His writing and directing surpasses all expectations. With "Dreamgirls," he has created unique graphic vidoes to transition between many scenes. Not only do these segments allow for the audience to easily move on from song to song, but they further the story along showing the rise of Deena Jones and The Dreams. Although different from typical films, the choice pays off nicely and suits the film well.

"Dreamgirls" is all around astounding. The flashy cinematopgraphy, the exceptional costumes and makeup, the soulful choreography, and the uncontrollably catchy music of composer Henry Krieger and lyricist Tom Eyen all create the perfect platform for the story to be told. Krieger's new songs match his previous score nicely. New tune "Listen" is definitely an additional powerhouse song to add to the collection which also includes "Steppin' To The Bad Side," "And I Am Telling You," "One Night Only," and the title song "Dreamgirls."

If in reading this review "Dreamgirls" is made out to be flawless, well frankly it nearly is. However, there are a few "bugs" that prevent perfection. There is a problem spot transitioning into "Family" which is the first time the actors directly sing to each other in a song that is not performed on stage or for a record. The song, while very touching, doesn't fit the tone of the film up to that point. It is easily forgiveable, however.

Other bugs are small and few. They generally occur in dialogue sections where we either want the character to sing when they are speaking or speak when they are singing. It will be interesting to see the Director's Cut of this film, which is reportedly due to DVD December 2007. In test screenings earlier on in the year, audiences complained of scenes were characters would sing to each other directly. Condon shot some scenes in both song and dialogue, thus editing must have been a nightmare. Still, the choices he made created a solid film with only a few slight bumps in its thru-line.

Regardless if you're a fan of the movie musical or not, taking yourself to "Dreamgirls" is a certain treat.

Updated On: 11/16/06 at 12:09 AM

[CapnHook]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 12:20am

Two more tid-bits to mention:

- The audience went into THUNDEROUS applause surprisingly not for Becyone during the credits (they do a character montage during the credits) but for JENNIFER HUDSON.

- Our audience was full to the brim. (Raleigh). Every seat was taken except for the first three rows which had about 10 people total.

- About the ending, it was nice, I just wanted to be BLOWN AWAY because of how the film was setup.

- The theatre I was in was HUGE which may have lead to this statement I am about to make: the music was underwhelming. Perhaps I am better off saying "the audio" was underwhelming.

- My mother, who saw the film with me, liked "Family" the best, oddly enough.

- My favorite line is gone from the film. It is when James Thunder Early sings "And I'll be here looooooooooooooonnnng after you are!"

- Jaleel White (is that his name? aka Urkel) has a cameo in the beginning of the film.

- "I Am Changing" was jaw-dropping

- Danny Glover was at his finest!

[singingbackup]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 12:28am

I heartly agree with everything posted here, except for one thing. While vocally impressive and spectacular, Jennifer Hudson's acting was not as convincing as I would have liked. Something in the eyes was missing, and as a novice it's understandable. I can see where most folks will equate her powerful voice with stellar acting, but in some scenes, particularly one with Jamie Foxx, she seemed a bit out of her league. And compared to the vivid, layered and enchanting Anika, there's no contest. I hope Ms Rose doesn't get left in Hudson's dust, because she damn near stole the whole movie. And Beyonce is really growing as an actress and was a lovely suprise.

All in all, I loved the film.

[maybethistime]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 12:31am

Not that it really translates well to or makes a difference on film, but is Effie's quickchange still there in the middle of "I Am Changing"? That's one of my favorite moments ever.

[CapnHook]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 12:40am

I have never seen it on stage. There was no quickchange.

singingbackup, I can definitely see what you mean by "something in the eyes." However, I gave her the benefit of the doubt and took it as a character trait. Yes, it's probably an "ism" she has and if she continues acting, she'll need to get rid of it, but in the case of "Dreamgirls" I took it as part of the package.

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 12:59am

SEMI-SPOILER ALERT!

The film opens and ends exactly like the stage-version. Verbatim.

Well, yes and no. Lyrically, it's essentially the same, but something does happen at the end of the film that does not happen in the stage version.

Updated On: 11/16/06 at 12:59 AM

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 12:59am

What songs were cut?

[kyle.]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 1:17am

A little song by the name of AINT NO PARTY was cut.     

And the amazing "sung dialogue" section of Heavy.

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 2:04am

I am so upset to hear Ain't No Party and "Heavy" were cut. Those are two of my favorite sections of the score. But that's okay- The divine Miss Divine will always OWN "Ain't No Party".

[BroadwayBaby6]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 2:04am

I am so upset to hear Ain't No Party and "Heavy" were cut. Those are two of my favorite sections of the score. But that's okay- The divine Miss Divine will always OWN "Ain't No Party".

[Mischief]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 3:44am

NOTES FROM THE CHICAGO SCREENING:

You could not ask for a better film adaptation of the stage musical. In short it works and it works very very well. The stage version is easily one of the most cinematic stage productions I've ever seen, but everything Condon brings to his translation only adds more to the depth and humanity of the piece. There is much more tension in the film - sexual, political and racial. The film roots the story in Detroit, which brings a tighter unity of place. In fact Curtis operates his budding music dynasty out of his Detroit Cadillac car dealership.

Almost all the sung dialogue is removed from the film. This is a wise choice because rarely (if ever) does that work well on film. Of course they kept some of it. They had to. It would be impossible to remove it all. I think what little they did use works, but I would be interested to see if those who had never seen the stage play found the sung dialogue jarring or out of place. It is not like the film "Cabaret" where only stage performers sing songs.

"Family" is exactly the same as in the stage play and I can see how some would find it a bit cheesy, but I don't think it derails the film in any way.

"Fake Your Way to the Top" and "Stepping to the Bad Side" both translate beautifully to the screen in expressive montage sequences.

Effie hitting bottom is much more graphically detailed in the film and really fleshes out her story arc to give a much more emotional punch to her come back.

I always dread the new songs in stage musical brought to the screen. Rarely do they fit, nor are they ever as good as anything from the stage version. Furthermore they are never as good as what they cut to make room for the substandard Oscar bait tunes.

New to the film are: "Love You I Do", which is a bubblegum ballad that Effie sings to Curtis early in their affair and is built as a counter point to "I'm Telling You..." "Patience" is a social conscience song the James Thunder Early sings. Beyonce has a thrilling new number near the end of the film called, "Listen". All the new songs fit organically with the original score.

Eddie Murphy is marvelous. He will get nominations. Jamie Fox is fine, but seems to be marking some of it. Doesn't give it his all – maybe 75%. Beyonce is perfectly cast and is excellent, but I doubt she will be getting any nominations.

Hudson is fantastic, but she is at her best when she is singing. Her performance of "I'm Telling You..." alone will easily win her the Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.

I saw the original Broadway production and for those very familiar with the stage version you are in for a real shocker in this adaptation. I did not see it coming, but it is a perfect twist that adds to the humanity as well as brings characters closer together.

I would say it is a nearly perfect adaptation. The only misstep is a bit at the end of the film that rang completely untrue - which is not seen in the stage version. No, it does not end verbatim. In fact my film reviewer friend – who has not seen it on stage – brought up this bit as not working for her either.

After the film Chicagoan Jennifer Hudson did a brief Q&A. She was very modest and gracious. A lovely lady. When asked her favorite moment/scene in the film, ironically she chose a non-musical scene where Effie goes to try to collect unemployment. Her favorite costume is the one from the "Dreamgirls" number.

After the Q&A I walked up to Miss Hudson and congratulated. I told her I hoped that the rumors of her Oscar nomination come true. I also mentioned that I saw the original B'way production and it has always been my dream to see a film of Dreamgirls - and that a better film could not have been made. She was very sweet very tall and very beautiful. She seems overwhelmed by the whole thing. She’s gonna be in for one hell of a ride with the success of this film and her performance in it.

It's a great film and I cannot image it disappointing fans of the stage play or not thrilling new audiences. It will be a HUGE hit.

Updated On: 11/16/06 at 03:44 AM

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 7:02am

I saw a private screening of the film tues. After reading your reviews it is making me wish I had seen it with an actual audience. There were like 7 of us in the screening room. Thought the film was excellent. Hudson and Eddie will get nominations for sure. The ending was weird, "Family" was def the weak link in the film. The only mistake they made was cutting "This Aint No Party" if only because I wanted to hear Anika sing it!!!

[silent]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 7:09am

Beyonce was not bad at all but I wouldn't go so far as to say she deserves an Oscar for the role. She excelled in the performance numbers but otherwise, Deena was just plain boring. Sheryl Lee Ralph has nothing to worry about.

Jennifer Hudson was a revelation. Singing AND acting-wise.

[Mischief]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 7:54am

That is an interesting point about Beyonce and Sheryl Lee Ralph.

Ralph was fantastic. Almost as great as Jennifer Holiday but in a totally different way.

Beyonce's Denna was fine, but in the film you see the tragic irony of Effie vs. Denna more clearly. Hudson's Effie is hands down more talented in every way than Beyonce's Denna.

The only thing Beyonce's Denna had over Hudson's Effie was a more obvious pretty face and a Barbie doll body.

In other words Beyonce was more on a talent scale with Diana Ross while Ralph outranked both Beyonce and Ross in talent and presence.

In the original stage production of Dreamgirls, for me Ralph raised the question, isn't she almost too talented to play Denna Jones?

Don't get me wrong. I don't think Beyonce is lacking in talent or wrong to play Denna. Bottom line is I think she actually MORE appropriate to play Denna than Ralph. The scope of Beyonce's talent vs. Hudson's talent makes more sense in context.

I was afraid that Beyonce's presence and off screen persona might overshadow Hudson and/or the film somehow. It does not. Beyonce is in perfect balance - as she should be - with everything else in the production. At no point does Beyonce's Denna EVER overshadow Hudson's Effie.



Updated On: 11/16/06 at 07:54 AM

[Mischief]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 8:07am

Yes, Maybethistime the staging of "I Am Changing" in the original production was a stunning theatre magic moment for me as well.

Jennifer Holiday was no longer in the production when I saw it on Broadway in 1983. I did catch Holiday as Effie years later in a revival tour of the Broadway production.

At that point in her life, Holiday had lost a lot of weight. So... in Act I they padded Effie so she was as heavy as Holiday was when she originated the role. Then... in Act II with "I Am Changing" when they go into a tight spotlight on Effie's face in the audition to then pull out and fully illuminate Effie performing in the nightclub, not only had she had a costume change, but she has also shed her fat suit. It made a remarkable theatre magic moment even more stunning.

Updated On: 11/16/06 at 08:07 AM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 9:09am

What about the almost legendary recitative sung-through start-up to "And I'M Not Telling You..." ("Effie we all got pain!") I have a feeling that's gone, too, alas. Is any of it intact?

[bwaysinger]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 9:16am

I do believe this has been discussed, but "Ain't No Party" was cut, correct? Has this left Anika with no showcase number? A real pity, since she has possibly the finest of the three voices of the Dreams in this film.

[Kringas]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 9:46am

What about the almost legendary recitative sung-through start-up to "And I'M Not Telling You..." ("Effie we all got pain!") I have a feeling that's gone, too, alas. Is any of it intact?

Auggie, you're referring to "It's All Over." A few minor lyric changed during it notwithstanding (although I do think one of the most important lines in that song was cut), it's almost exactly as it is on stage in the film.

And yes, Anika does sort of get short-changed with the loss of "Ain't No Party."

Mischief (sorry I didn't find you there!), I agree with everything you've said.

I agree that the movie was nearly perfect. While it was a totally different animal from the stage production, it still felt really true to the original material.

Jennifer Hudson was an absolute doll at the Q&A. Unpretentious and appearing genuinely thrilled and grateful for the reception she got from the audience, I thought she handled herself with class and dignity. This was particularly apparent when she was asked about rumored tensions between her and Beyonce, and when she was put on the spot about the whole supporting actress/lead actress issue. Someone (and I believe it was someone in her camp that was there) kept asking was she billed in the movie as lead or supporting. Never mind that no one gets billed in the credits as "lead actress" or "supporting actress," it seemed to me like someone trying to stir up trouble, as there has been a raging debate since this film was announced as to whether or not Beyonce would be considered lead over Jennifer. Frankly, I don't care one way or the other and Hudson handled herself with a lot of dignity and class.

I do think Jamie Foxx was a tad one-note, and while it's true that the character of Lorrell suffers in the translation, poor Michelle's character is whittled to nothing.

While I won't deny that I miss the recitative (particularly during "Heavy,"), I'm thrilled with what I saw last night.

Updated On: 11/16/06 at 09:46 AM

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 11/16/06 at 9:53am

I was wondering when you were gonna get your fuzzy ass in this thread, Kringas. So glad to hear that you were happy with it.

I tried to get to the screening in Grand Rapids, but I didn't know whether it was at the North or South Celebration Cinema theater, so by the time I would've been able to get to the right one, it was too late. It's cool, though, I'll see it when I see it.

I agree with bway that Anika has a great voice, but I'm not sure how well she could sing ANP. Her high notes seemed kind of shrill to me in her Broadway Under the Stars performance of "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man"