Hudson's Character Spoiled The Film

Rating: 4/10 (14 May 2007)

One person - not entirely, but mainly - ruined this movie: Jennifer Hudson. Her character, "Effie White," is loud, abrasive, offensive, vain, jealous, shallow, shrill, etc., etc. That woman is entertaining?! I don't think so!
Hudson may have had the undisputed best voice in the film but that doesn't mean she's good to watch. The same applies for another of the singing trio that is featured in this movie: Anika Noni Rose whose "Lorrell Robinson" was annoyingly juvenile. Listening to an 18-year- old pontificate about how "she's a woman now" when she has the maturity of an eight-year- old is not entertaining. Only Beyonce Knowles as "Deena Jones" was a good person to watch, and not because of her beauty but her character was mature.
Of the men, Eddie Murphy stood out as "James 'Thunder' Early" and I can see why he won acclaim for his performance. He was really fun to watch and hear. His singing stunned me. Just when I thought his career was in the dumper, he gives us this performance. Jamie Foxx and Danny Glover were both fine.
I'm not surprised the screenwriter here was the same guy who did "Chicago." Both films had tons of glitz, glamor but an extremely annoying character were ruined both films. For "Chicago," it was Rene Zellweger, here it's Hudson.
Both films both dazzled and disgusted me. The music was decent and certainly plentiful, and that's no complaint. The music and the colorful visuals were the highlight of the movie.