Terribly Disappointing

Rating: 3/10 (12 January 2007)

Dreamgirls has some wonderful things in it -- a wonderful debut by Jennifer Hudson, a dynamite performance by Eddie Murphy, some wonderful musical numbers and great singing but it simply doesn't hang together as a movie. The story and narrative are constantly getting lost and the most consistent emotion I felt while viewing was boredom.
The editing of this movie is strange and distracting -- a reaction shot of Jamie Foxx seems to cut off his response to other actors, a shot of swiveling hips in a musical number seems out of place, dramatic scenes are brought to a dead stop by images which don't seem to belong.
While Hudson and Murphy shine, Jamie Foxx playing the Barry Gordy roll seems out of place, mugging his way through a roll that calls for subtlety. Keith Robinson is a disaster as the songwriter C.C. White, leaving no imprint on the role whatsoever.
I have to put the blame for this disaster on writer/director Bill Condon. The adaptation from the stage version just isn't successful and the acting is so inconsistent one can only look to the director for its failure. Dreamgirls is worth seeing, at least on video, for some wonderful songs. But if you're looking for a satisfying movie experience, give this one a miss.