Overproduced and Under-Exciting

Rating: 6/10 (8 January 2007)

Dreamgirls disappoints, especially when you consider its source and the talent involved. Bill Condon has directed some very direct, honest pictures that surprise with their humanity and creativity. This movie, though direct in the sense that it does not surprise, delivers very little in terms of authentic human emotion or unexpected character dynamics. Though both Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson deserve the attention they are getting for their supporting roles, neither of the leads show much energy on screen. Their lack of buoyancy, along with the generally overproduced and under-exciting music, left me feeling bored and a little trapped, invested as I was in both the supporting characters. Worth a watch, but not worth the hype.