I just don't get it

Rating: 4/10 (28 February 2007)

After watching "Dreamgirls" I just don't get all the raving this movie is receiving. I did think it was an interesting exercise in style, but nothing more. And it's OK, really; I didn't mind its cliché-driven plot very much: it's a pop musical, so it's supposed to be lavish, loud, fast-paced,outrageously stylish and inconsequential like a music video. And for all the money that's been put out, they sure did a darn good job. The songs were good enough, the production was first-rate, the costumes were dazzling and the music performances were mostly enjoyable.
What I'm still trying to figure out is why all the fuss about the so-called groundbreaking performances of Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy. I was shocked that this movie even got nominated for its acting since there wasn't a single moment of substantial acting in the entire film - which was no surprise, really. Murphy, when not singing, was being the same old Murphy. Nothing new, certainly nothing Oscar-worthy.
And what about Hudson!? Saying she's overrated is understating it. As I said before: there are NO characters in the movie with more density than a cardboard figure. They're just underwritten and are passable as we are completely stupefied by the beautifully staged music numbers and snapping our fingers to the catchy songs. Hudson's character is no exception - plus, she's a stubborn bitch who deserved to be punished for her hateful diva behavior. How am I supposed to sympathize with that? Why these people decided to promote her in the movie is beyond me. All of a sudden she's the star and we're to bear her high-pitched screeching for over two hours. And I was worrying about Beyonce who politely stepped into the background, accepting the shallowness of her character - I actually enjoyed her restraint participation. "And I'm telling you" was a monstrosity and after that I was praying to God that she wasn't going to open her mouth for the remaining of the movie. That WASN'T acting; it was hardly singing. To put emotion into a tune doesn't necessarily mean to distort it into screaming and grunting. And THAT was supposed to be the showstopper, the reason why Hudson got her Oscar when she was up against people like Cate Blanchett and Adriana Bazarra? It's a mockery and I just don't get it. Anyway, she's being much acclaimed now, but time will tell...