Dreamgirls 2006
This is a very solid movie, with strong performances, story, and songs. I think it could have used a little more focus and I didn’t think the songs were exactly right for what was essentially a story about Motown records. I haven’t been to a movie in a long time where people actually broke into applause, let alone in the middle. I thought they hit the right notes, with humor, heartbreak, and inspiration.
Somehow the movie still felt like a variety show skipping from character to character instead of a cohesive movie, so I have to knock off a couple of points for that. The cast is very good. Eddie Murphy has the best role and performance he has had in a very long time, maybe since Beverly Hills Cop, even though it is a supporting role. The female leads were good, though for the most part kind of interchangeable and I couldn’t always tell them apart anyway. There were probably a few too many songs and some went on for too long, but I couldn’t point to any one particular song that should be cut. Jamie Foxx is good (not great) in a challenging role where he has to go from being the hero to the villain.
While it misses getting an A, this is a movie that is very enjoyable (I can certainly see how some people (Oprah) would love it) and well worth seeing at a theater, but I can’t give it more than a B+.