Take two recent
critical and financial successes, mix them together with some
hype, and you've got yourself a hit. Dreamgirls,
while engaging and entertaining, is little more than a rehash
of the story of Ray (fictionalized, and made about
women) and the glitzy style of Chicago. Often saying
a film is overrated is a nice way of saying it wasn't a good
movie in its own right, so I am hesitant to say that of Dreamgirls,
but it is. As high-quality as it may be, it hardly seems worth
all the praise it has received this awards season.
The picture tells
the clichéd tale of a talented vocal trio in late Sixties
Detroit who work their way up the ladder to fame and success,
attempting to reach their dreams of stardom. Along the way,
the most talented of the three, full-figured Effie (American
Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson) is pushed out of the way
by the thinner Deena (Beyoncé Knowles, who knows a
thing or two about being in a vocal trio) and the group's
manager, Curtis Taylor (Jamie Foxx). It wouldn't be a show-biz,
rise to the top drama without the ubiquitous drugs, backstabbing,
and extra-marital affairs with James Brown influenced James
"Thunder" Early, played by Eddie Murphy. In the
end, it's not ruining anything for anyone to tell you that
Effie gets back in the group, and everyone lives the happy,
glittery Motown dream.
Like I said, it's
not the most original story ever, but I can give it the benefit
of the doubt, since it is an adaptation of a twenty-something
year-old stage musical. But even then, I'm sure it wasn't
the first time we've heard this particular song. Retelling
the same story wouldn't even be so bad if the film didn't
build to a climax that doesn't satisfy the viewer. Sure, Effie
gets her recognition, and appears on the national stage, but
only at the final show of the group. Congratulations, Effie!
The real star
of the show, and its saving grace, are the songs, which do
an outstanding job of carrying the characters and story through
a decade in the music industry. Some of the early songs were
a bit boring, and too similar to one another, but that's a
symptom of the period. The strongest songs are "Patience,"
"Love You I Do," and the title track "Dreamgirls"
while the weakest links are "Heavy," "Family,"
and "Listen." The songs are strengthened by several
great performances, mainly those of Hudson and Murphy, who
provide the best vocal stylings.
Sadly, vocals
are the best we get from this cast. No one delivers anything
even close to a decent acting performance, not that there's
much for them to work with in the script. Why so many acting
awards have been thrown in this cast's direction is beyond
me. A performance should be more than singing. It should include
depth, and not just mimic a concert or famed musician. Something
along the lines of Joaquin Phoenix in Walk the Line
is what a performer seeking recognition for acting and singing
should replicate. Again, Hudson provides powerful music, but
doesn't really act, and Eddie Murphy's performance, while
not outright comedic, is still merely a caricature of an iconic
archetype.
I was disappointed
that the film lacks the fantasy/non-diagetic elements that make
great musicals so much fun to watch. I wanted the music to represent
more than just the characters actually singing, but rather their
internal struggles and emotions, as the genre was invented to
do. I also found that some of the social issues touched upon
in the film, some in the story, and some through historical
social context, were sugar-coated or nearly glossed over. Such
themes as racism, body image, and the Vietnam War are mentioned,
but not dealt with in a satisfying manner. Simply focusing more
on one of these might lift the movie to a higher tier, but unfortunately
it remains just slightly better than average, despite all its
potential.
