Fine Acting All Around

Rating: 8/10 (17 January 2007)

Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy are receiving well-deserved awards but allow me to sing the praises of the other major actors in this movie. Jamie Foxx plays a soft-spoken sonuvabitch, and it's time we see him do sonuvabitch. His soft-spokenness is a little bit scary, as we witness his rise to the top as a pop music producer. Anika Noni Rose is not a household name but she undoubtedly will be. And while we're supposed to feel miffed that Deena took over for Jennifer, Deena's becoming a star is exciting anyway. Seeing Beyonce emerge from her restraint in the first half of the picture is one of this movie's sublime pleasures, even as we are forced to confront the complications. Beyonce evokes Miss Ross though not in a dragqueeny way that a lesser performer might have resorted to. This deserves to win ensemble awards.