Perfectly fine movie- I just hate the internet.

Rating: 8/10 (28 December 2006)

I wish we could get over the current wave of rudeness, nastiness, and bitchiness currently permeating the internet on this film. Few people are actually reviewing it, as opposed to just smothering the boards with endless platitudes about how much they hate musicals, and how this particular film wouldn't stop with the "cheesy (a word being used ad nauseam, despite the appearance that no one seems to know what it actually means)" musical numbers. Poor things. I haven't the heart to tell them that that's what a musical ACTUALLY is-- film, play, or otherwise. Oh well, on to the show. I saw DG on stage 23 years ago and wouldn't wish the job of turning such a stage-bound show into a film on my worst enemy. But director Bill Condon and producer Laurence Mark rose to the occasion, thank you very much, and made an effort to infuse the film with as much 'on-stage' tribute as they possibly could. Scenes or songs which had been staged intimately on the B'way stage were almost all moved to an actual stage in this film. I'm still on the fence as to whether that was necessary or not, but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. One number entitled "It's All Over" was originally set in a dressing room, but in this film it became a on-stage dress rehearsal. While it looked fine opened out, I said to myself, 'they could've left it in the dressing room.' But in the world of stage-to-screen adaptations, debates will abound on which is better, and will probably never end.
So we have the story of an R&B singing trio not unlike The Supremes with a full-figured lead who has a sauciness not unlike Florence Ballard, and a thinner, more Eurocentric beauty not unlike Diana Ross who is made the new lead when the group's slimy manager successfully maneuvers the girls from "chitlin' circuit" singing into mainstream pop singing, and turns the backup-singing Dreamettes into the beautiful front-and-center Dreams, with bouffant wigs, Cholly Atkins-like choreography, and sparkling mermaid gowns to boot. One of the more famous TV critics decided to dump on the film because it had all these Supremes references running throughout the film, but never admitted or owned up to that biography. Never understood this as a reason to dislike the film. For 25 years the stage DG has never claimed this as a Supremes (or Motown) biography. So what exactly is the point of the complaint? 5 years before DG came out there was a lovely little film released entitled SPARKLE, which could've been the Supremes story also. No one gave that film any plagiaristic grief. What's my point here? People have got to lighten up- a film is not a corporation. Variations on the same type of story are often told over and over again (BATMAN, anyone?). It seems people never care about this UNTIL it's a musical. Then, it's hands-off!! One musical is enough!! Sheesh, get a hobby.
Let's rate performances: The girls did it, and did it well. Beyonce' Knowles is lovely, and on her way to a mainstream movie career. She can sing. She does not have the bland voice that her Svengali accuses her of having in the 3rd act of the film, but she does EXACTLY what she needs to as the ladylike and malleable Deena. The middle Dream, Anika Noni Rose, is probably the least known to movie audiences because she's a Broadway baby (and Tony award-winning one at that). She plays the 18-year-old Lorrell with pluck and comic sexiness. (Not to mention 6-inch heels to keep her in frame with her two taller co-stars. You go, girl.) And our 3rd Dream, Jennifer Hudson, is still entertaining ridiculous comments from the IDOL peanut gallery: 'how did she get in,' 'she can scream, but can she sing,' etc. She was, and IS, Effie. She's the girl with the church belt. Yikes. This is an understatement. Her voice is not Jennifer Holliday's, and not quite Aretha Franklin's, but there's no reason why it should be. For the Act 1 finale of "And I Am Telling You..." she gets it done. I was almost in tears, the girl ACTS the song as beautifully as she sings it. Keith Robinson plays baby brother C.C. to Effie, and has his day in what might be my favorite moment of the movie: In an important and pivotal moment of story- after his sister has been given some devastating news about her participation in the group, C.C. has to single-handedly maneuver her back into the fold, into his good graces. And the song "Family" is born. This had been another number originally staged in a dressing room. But director Condon improved upon this for the movie: He had the camera begin on a crestfallen Effie as she walked out of the dressing room, following her to an empty stage and have the other principals join her on stage one by one. Heartbreaking and lovely. Only Gordy-like manager Jamie Foxx was slightly underwhelming, but his was the villain of the piece- nothing more. (In hindsight, one wonders what Terrence Howard might've done with the same role.) But Eddie Murphy has the comeback role of the century. His essay of James "Thunder" Early is nothing short of amazing- and especially poignant now following the recent passing of real-life inspiration James Brown. Supporting Actor nominations? Why not?