Hudson lifts musical to greatness

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2006)

If the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences--the folks behind the Oscars--gave an MVP award, this year's would go to Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls". She is going to be largely responsible for the film's sizable box office--particularly for a musical--and the love come awards season. This film belongs to her and when she is on screen she makes everyone look better--much like perennial NBA MVP Steve Nash. Will her follow-up projects be as outstanding? Who cares. With her performance of "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" she has earned her spot in Academy Awards montages for decades to come.
"Dreamgirls" looks amazing, sounds incredible, and has long been a dream project for producer David Geffen. And yet, the film's story often lacks punch. Its story will be immediately be familiar to anyone who has ever watched an episode of "Behind the Music". The story follows girl group the Dreamettes as they crossover from R+B success to pop radio while Berry Gordy-like producer Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jaime Foxx) reaps the financial windfall. As the Dreamettes court suburban radio listeners, they have to sacrifice their R+B roots and become more bland in appearance and sound. This leads to a power struggle between diva Effie (Jennifer Hudson) and Taylor.
The film doesn't hold many surprises and therefore has trouble sustaining its running time. Beyonce Knowles, playing Dreamettes member Deena Jones, has to do a good bit of the dramatic heavy lifting and is only passable. We understand that the character's malleability and blandness makes her ideal for the pre-fab made for pop radio hits Taylor wants to produce, but this fact also makes her a less than mesmerizing lead. I suspect that this problem has more to do with the script than Knowles performance.
And yet, the movie is a must-see. Hudson is a revelation as is Eddie Murphy as the soul singer James Thunder Early. If both don't receive Oscar nominations, it will be a shock. I think critics may be tempted to overpraise the film because good musicals are so rare. And many film fans love the sheer escape and unabashed joy of the musical.
The movie definitely has third act problems, but when it succeeds, it soars. One of the year's best.