MEOW!
The dream did not collapse on these ladies who lunch!
Nostalgic Insights: The first time I got introduced to Dreamgirls in general was seeing the 2006 film adaptation in seventh grade, and I remember being addicted to the film and its soundtrack the day after I saw it in theaters. It was another film that I didn't entirely comprehend since I was still a wee young lad growing up in the land of Vernon, but that also didn't stop me from loving it quite a deal. It had outstanding performances, exhilarating music, and like the end of a shoe living on the streets of Motown, it had a lot of sole, baby!
So do I still have some sole for this film today, or did I have to get another set of shoes?
Critical Insights: While Dreamgirls doesn't quite reach the mind-blowing mixture of musical storytelling and traditional filmmaking that was accomplished by Chicago, another movie musical that Bill Condon was involved with, it still manages to successfully capture that good ol' heart and sole (I'll stop here) that movie musicals set out to achieve. The aspects that I enjoyed about this film in the past are even more appreciative today, from the fantastic performances of everyone in the ensemble to the oh-so-addicting and soulful music.
It's also technically well-crafted, even if, again, it doesn't reach the extraordinary lengths of what Chicago had accomplished before. The film, at times, seems to go a little too hyperactive in the cross-cutting editing department for no purpose whatsoever; the opening scenes of dialogue, for instance, don't fit with the lyrics of the songs being sung by the excellent performers ("Baby, I'm Takin' The Long Way Home" goes along with a moment of the Dreamettes positioning their wigs? Interesting). That said, every frame of this film is wonderful to look at, and it is especially appreciated through the costume and production design; each costume is wisely integrated into their environments and time periods. I love, for instance, the boldly colorful design when Rainbow Records has their tenth anniversary concert. Let's just say if you love some M&Ms and/or Skittles, you are in for the same kind of treatment. The other thing I admired was that the art and costume designs were used to serve one of its obvious but thoughtful messages throughout the film: Sometimes, the window will always be shut. So to look through the window is an open opportunity.
All of the performances in the ensemble are all memorable and fantastic to watch. That said, there are a few stand-outs. One is, of course, Jennifer Hudson as Effie White. Every time I watch her performance "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going," I just sit still and let the performance overwhelm me. But what also should be noted is when she sings "I Am Changing" in the second half of the film; that song represents her character's redemption, and Hudson sells that song with some soulful justice. Mmmhmmm. Eddie Murphy is a marvel in this film as James Thunder Early; he plays a character with more realistic heart and soul than all of the three characters in Norbit combined! His best and most surprising moments are also in the second half, where he has a mental breakdown during the Rainbow Records concert, to a point where he shows his boxers in front of not only a live audience, but his wife as well. Those moments show how much an immortal man is still a mortal man, and Murphy does an excellent job portraying that idea in a realistic fashion. Two people that always get the shaft in this film also do a tremendous job as well. One is Keith Robinson, who plays Effie's brother named C.C. White. It is a subtle yet extremely effective portrayal of a brother helping out his star of a sister, especially when he says to Effie that "no matter what we are, we are a family." The other is Anika Noni Rose. Whether her hometown is Bloomfield, CT or not, she has one of the best performances in anything that she's in, and the way she portrays Lorrell Robinson is certainly no exception. In the first half, she's all naive and innocent--so much of a fangirl to James Thunder Early that she becomes his girlfriend. Throughout the film, however, she starts to mature and sees a darker side to him that is difficult to handle. Rose captures those moments in an under-appreciated performance that deserves to get as much attention as Hudson and Murphy. Jamie Foxx and Beyonce Knowles are also under-appreciated in their respective roles as Curtis Taylor, Jr. and Deena Jones, and their end-credit duet of "When I First Saw You" is a great rendition of the anti-love song (Let's face it, when Curtis Taylor, Jr. sings it, it's an anti-love song).
Speaking of songs, they sure have some sole (DADGUM IT) soul in this movie musical. While the lyrics are not witty and filled with 'AHAHA' moments, they are written as if it were made in the '60s or '70s, which fits well within the film's timeline anyways. Infecious tunes galore, such as "Fake Your Way To The Top," "Steppin' To The Bad Side," "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going," and both versions of "One Night Only," even if one of them was stolen by the naughty Curtis Taylor, Jr. Even the newer tunes written for the film, "Listen," "Love You I Do," and especially "Patience," have more than enough credibility to become extremely enjoyable. It's an energetic, soulful soundtrack to listen to in case you need a little uplift.
My only real critique against Dreamgirls is that, when you come around to it, it's a very predictable story with stereotypical characters that you've come to see in many forms of art, such as the typical greedy smart-man (Curtis Taylor, Jr.), the self-righteous diva (Jennifer Hudson), the beautiful sweetheart (Deena Jones), the infamous superstar (Eddie Murphy), and blahdeblahdeR&Blah. Those characteristics are things that you can find in almost every traditional rise-and-fall story, and sadly, it does slow down the pace a bit in certain moments of the film.
Of course, predictable stories can be redeemed if the writer is able to throw a few surprises at us, and that's where Dreamgirls truly shines in the script department, especially when breaking down the characters of Curtis Taylor, Jr. and Deena Jones. Let's see, ladies first? Deena Jones may be beautiful, but she is certainly more intelligent than what the public gives her credit for. Or at least, she's more intelligent than what Curtis gives her credit for. He even admits that her voice has "no personality, no depth" except for what he puts in. Jeez, what a slick and devious scumbag. Actually, I take that back. Curtis Taylor, Jr. may be a slick and devious scumbag, but really, how would you feel if a bunch of people, let alone of a different race, plaigarize your music to become a supposedly-number one hit? It's a natural thing to feel emotions of jealousy and tension, even when pretending to be a cool cat in the '60s. Condon, Foxx, and Knowles did a great job of bringing these characters to life without having them to seem one-dimensional from a distance.
Overall, Dreamgirls is a solid movie musical that, while following a rather conventional formula that's been done to death, is able to execute itself in a refreshingly different path, thanks to some fantastic and under-appreciated performances, along with an energetic and soulful soundtrack that steps into the good side. Ooh. Ooh. Oooooooh. Out of five dreams, I give Dreamgirls...
Until next time,
EVITA
and MEOW, of course!
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