Dreamgirls
Dreamgirls
PG-13 | 25 December 2006 (USA)
Dreamgirls Trailers

A trio of female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s, facing their own personal struggles along the way.

Reviews
Ken Niqua

"We are dream girls, boy we'll make you happy" They made me happy every time I watched this movie. Beyonce Knowles with her beautiful singing one of the biggest singers in America. She was one of the backup singers in dream girls. It was 3 of them in the group Jennifer Hudson ass Effie the lead singer in dream girls with a HUGE voice, Beyonce as Deena & Anika Noni Rose as Lorell, they had the softer looks and softer singing. They were all childhood friends which grew up to be close as sisters. They did a talent show and lost to an old Fat guy? But somebody seen a talent they had Jamie Fox playing as Curtis had a goal to take the Dreamgirls to the top. He came in and made everything all better for them... just for a little while. Curtis had his own record label & he sold cars. Mr.Curtis had a dream within his dream. He started to date Effie they had a good little relationship for some time.Curtiz made Deena lead singer of the group, Effie was jealous, thinking her man was like this skinnier girl with this pretty voice. He was starting to think Effie was gaining to much weight. He wrote a song for the Dream Girls called " Heavy " he was talking about Effie, when they first start dating he knew she was big. she was gaining so much weight because she was pregnant. In the middle of the "Heavy" studio session, she was singing over the other girls staring at Curtiz with hate in her eyes. she ran out of the session. Effie didn't know why she was feeling so sick and going through this depression. she took a break from the group to figure herself out. Curtis found him another girl to replace Effie. She was another skinny girl Sharon playing as "Michelle". She was already in uniform ready to perform. Curtis did Effie so wrong. Kicked her out of the group and broke up with her,left her for Deena and left her with a baby. This movie will have you dancing, it will make you cry, and you will Not stop singing. I know this movie whole script everything is a song. Very good movie & will teach you don't need anybody to be successful. This movie doesn't Bor you at all. With some funny scenes, It's almost like real life how it was in the 90s back when the had the Candy paint automobiles. I would recommend Everybody to look at this movie. we can sing along together. Once you start watching this movie, you aren't going to be able to take yourself away from looking at it. Once you learn the songs you have no choice but to learn the whole movie script as well. Great Movie All About A DREAM.

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Python Hyena

Dreamgirls (2006): Dir: Bill Condon / Cast: Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy, Beyonce Knowles, Danny Glover: Provocative musical about fame and disappointment. Jamie Foxx plays a record producer who signs three woman as backup singers. Director Bill Condo highlights the film with courageous musical numbers as well as showcase R & B and soul music with racial elements within the industry. Foxx is excellent as a charming producer whose motives are questionable and sincerity lingers. He uses seduction and false promises of fame and fortune to lure talent towards his benefit. Jennifer Hudson makes an impressive debut as a gifted front singer who is demoted to backup in favor of women of less weight and greater sex appeal. She will set out to prove that she is the more gifted vocally and that talent should be rewarded. Beyonce Knowles plays a new singer whom Foxx becomes involved with and attempts to control. Eddie Murphy plays soul singer Jimmy Early who demands recognition as an innovator. This is Murphy at his very best as he combines humour with soul music but ultimately gets caught up on drugs. Danny Glover plays Early's manager until Foxx enters the scene. Now Glover turns to managing Hudson. They are involved in the corrupt worldview of music, fame and the price paid to place dreams in the wrong hands. Score: 10 / 10

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mark.waltz

You've got "One Time Only" to turn a hit Broadway show into a great movie musical, and in the case of "Dreamgirls", they managed to avoid it going down the path of "Man of LaMancha", "Mame", "A Little Night Music", "A Chorus Line", "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Nine" for hit shows that ended up becoming missed opportunities. All is well in the world of the "Dreams", the fictional version of the Supremes who won the hearts of musical theater fans back in the early 1980's and made a huge star out of Jennifer Holliday who belted "And I Am Telling You" right out of the Imperial Theater.The Holliday has switched to the Hudson for the role of Effie White, the power-house singer based upon the real life Florence Ballard. While Jennifer Holliday won a Tony Award, Jennifer Hudson went home with the Oscar, and in tribute to both ladies, they would later perform the big Effie number later together. Ms. Holliday continues to play this role in various theaters around the country, while Hudson's status as a star once rejected by Simon Cowell proves that what "Simon Says" doesn't always ring true.For a "fictional" biography of the Supremes, you have to have a great Deena Jones, the glamorous representation of Diana Ross. Unlike the real "Miss Ross", Deena Jones is presented as somebody who might have stardom within her reach, but her "diva" presence isn't as strong as her real-life counterpart. She is certainly more down-to-earth and seemingly sweeter, not to cast a shadow on Diana Ross's character. She just comes off as somebody much more approachable than the real legend. The current day top diva of the pop world, Beyonce, brings a very likable quality to Deena, absolutely sympathetic to Effie's situation and more than compassionate when she learns the truth about what transpired between her and Curtis (the magnificent Jamie Fox). Rising Broadway star Anika Noni Rose is fantastic as Lorrell, the third of the original "Dreams", but her role isn't as well developed as Effie and Deena, although it is clear that her character is based on Mary Wilson.Giving one of his all-time showiest performance, Eddie Murphy is phenomenal as James "Thunder" Early, and watching his breakdown is as heartbreaking as the real-life destructions of various great artists who became legends way before their time should have been up. Danny Glover is "Earth Father" as the older adviser, and Keith Robinson shows much vulnerability as Effie's brother who is torn between a rock and a hard place when it comes to choosing between his own ideals and his love for his sister.One of the reasons that the original Supremes are so important in music history is that they helped integrate the world of pop music. White audiences took them to their hearts, and that is certainly obvious in how the "Dreams" are portrayed. The obvious comparisons between the fact and fiction is very present with a young boy obviously playing Michael Jackson, and if you see the Broadway musical "Motown", you will see why some critics called that show basically a re-tread of "Dreamgirls", only with the real names attached. The racial tensions which lead to riots in the 1960's in Detroit where Motown was located and where this partially takes place are covered in both stories, so it doesn't matter if you're listening to "Stop in the Name of Love" or "One Night Only", the importance of the political and social story is equally as important.Original Broadway "Dreamgirl" Loretta Devine makes a nice impression in a small role, and several other Broadway favorites turn up in smaller parts. While "Dreamgirls" has not returned to Broadway since the late 1980's, a recent tour did stop in New York, ironically at the Apollo, where part of this also takes place. The fast-moving and engrossing drama, surrounded by a fantastic score, will keep you riveted. When Jennifer Hudson sings her song of atonement, "I am Changing", you may find yourself in tears, and when Beyonce sings the original "Listen" (written for the movie, included in the most recent tour), you may be standing up cheering as well. Bravo, Hollywood, for turning our "Dreamgirls" into a movie musical dream come true.

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Erik P

In many ways I wish more time had been written over the story (it is a bit like a trailing story rolling through the lives of these 3/4 female singers). Also, the way the words of the songs they performed reflected so closely the situation in the film made it a bit cheesy and there was a period in the middle where there were just too many songs sung about what was happening, such that I was about to stop watching. In some ways I wish this had been done with similar songs, but not as a musical.The singing doesn't really reflect the period (more like beyoncé style ballads) however, this film has a lot of positive aspects..I absolutely hate Eddy Murphy and actively avoid all films he is in, but on this occasion I felt he was very good and filled the role perfectly. Jennifer Hudson is one of my favourite actresses, and she didn't disappoint, and she sung some stunning songs. Indeed, you really get your money's worth when it comes to the number of songs, and despite not having the most profound lyrics, some are very touching and make up for the weak depth of the story (and this weird superficial reference to the civil rights movement and I think Vietnam, but it never really became part of the film).It is maybe targeted at 18-25 year old women, especially beyoncé fans, who will love this film. As a 42 year old man, despite being bored in parts, and despite the above criticisms, and despite the fact that I will forget the film by tomorrow, at the end I can say I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and it was a real Saturday afternoon pleasure. You don't have to think, the women are beautiful, some nice songs, and it did make me cry at the end.

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