Hot Tub! Burn My Toe ...

Rating: 6/10 (1 January 2007)

Greetings again from the darkness. Despite this being a massive hunk of Hollywood cheese and mostly fictitious re-telling of the Motown backroom, this one is a bit of fun with a couple of outstanding vocal performances along the way.
The basic story revolves around the beginning of group similar to the Supremes and the slick production of Berry Gordy's Motown and the packaging of this mainstream black girl band so that white audiences would buy in. Part of this packaging involved the promotion to front and center of the more beautiful, charismatic (and whiter) Beyonce (Deean) over the more talented Jennifer Hudson (Effe). Not too subtle in the similarities to the real Supremes, but it is fun to watch Beyonce evolve into the diva (even though the excess of Diana Ross is downplayed). Jamie Foxx doesn't really capture the charm and sleaze necessary for his role ... we never really see why these artists trust him in the first place.
Eddie Murphy steals his scenes as James "Thunder" Early (a slightly toned down James Brown) and he brings some much needed levity to the film when it gets a little too self-indulgent. Other nice supporting work by Danny Glover, Keith Robinson and the "Boston Public" duo of Sharon Leal and Loretta Devine.
Make no mistake, this is Jennifer Hudson's film. She has two blow-the-doors-off songs, especially "And I'M Telling You I'm Not Going". Should be nominated for best song. Ms. Hudson is an amazing singer, but has a ways to go in the acting dept. Luckily the quasi-musical approach makes it easier on her.
The film probably has a couple too many musical numbers and some run a bit long. Because of this, the story suffers a bit. It is, however, definitely worth seeing for the Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce vocals.