The only problem is the music

Rating: 7/10 (2 March 2007)

I saw this movie because I'm a Motown fan. I really enjoyed Mary Wilson's book about her life as a Supreme, which served as the inspiration for the title of this film and the Broadway musical. And, without being a true account of the Motown story, Dreamgirls really offers a lot of nice little references to the history of the famous label. (Jolly Jenkins! The record sleeves! Jimmy's woolen cap!) It's a dazzling movie, and especially in the first part, it captures the spirit and the energy of the period. The only problem I had with the movie was the music. Visually the whole film is in sixties and seventies style, even in the tiniest details. But musically it's very far removed from the chirpy, smooth Motown sound. In fact, the big band arrangements and the scream 'n' holler ballads from Jennifer Hudson and Beyonce Knowles are the complete opposite of everything Berry Gordy stood for. He made black pop tunes, no heartfelt r 'n' b. In most of his tunes, it was all about the rhythm and the melody, not about the lyrics or the emotion. It's a pity that there is not a trace of the famous Motown sound to be found in this movie.