My favourite musical

Rating: 8/10 (30 August 2007)

Generally speaking, I don't like musicals. Mostly because of the songs. The two main exceptions are Singin' in the Rain and Grease, both of which are incredibly fun with very catchy songs. For the most part, though, I can't stand the genre, especially the recent flux of them of which this film is the catalyst. But, after hearing all the raves for this one, I decided to give it a go. It wasn't my type of movie, and I loved it.
The interesting thing is, if this film hadn't been a musical, I doubt I would have liked it as much. Sure, the direction is innovative and the acting is impressive, but it's the numerous medleys of contemporary songs that really made this for me. Going in, I was under the impression that this was going to be like every other musical  songs written directly for it. Little did I know that David Bowie, The Police, Queen, and even Nirvana were all represented in various shapes and forms. I absolutely loved the way in which a vast variety of songs were covered, interpreted, and woven together to create instantly memorable tunes. My favourite? Definitely "El Tango de Roxanne", but I enjoyed everything else as well.
Of course, that's not the only highlight of the film. The incredible visual and directing style is unlike anything I've seen in a film of this sort before. In fact, it's really unmatched in cinema in general. The acting is very good, as the stars manage to create three-dimensional characters while also having great singing voices. The story is a brilliant mishmash of doomed romance, slapstick comedy, and even historical drama. The slapstick routine at the beginning crackles with terrific comic energy, and the whole film is incredibly vivid and alive.
I have to say this is one of the biggest surprises for me as a moviegoer. A musical romance, two of my least favourite genres, that produced a hit song which I loathe, and I ended up loving the film. Go figure.