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EDITOR'S NOTE: I had the
unique pleasure of viewing a rough cut of DREAMGIRLS in October here in
Dallas. There was one other rough-cut viewing of the film in San Diego.
On 11/15/06 I attended the official
press screening of DREAMGIRLS, the final version of the film that is
currently being shown just for the critics. Having said that, this
review is a combination of my original review of the rough cut and the
final version that was viewed Wednesday night.
-John Garcia
_________________________DREAMGIRLS THE MOVIE________________________
 I
saw the original Broadway production at the Imperial Theater starring
Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Divine, and the powerful Jennifer Holiday. I
still remember getting chills down my spine as those well-known piano
chords begin to play Holiday's "And I Am Telling You". Nothing prepared
me for that one performance. Earth shattering and cosmic comes to mind.
That Broadway audience (including myself) went crazy with screams of
approval as she tore into one of the greatest 11 O'clock numbers ever
written for the American stage. Holiday's performance for me ranks as
one of the greatest live performances I have ever witnessed.
Then in 1987 I saw the
Broadway revival at the Ambassador Theater. Since then I have also seen
three National tours, each time going back at least 4-5 times to see it
again. Two of those tours starred Jennifer Holiday. I've also seen
productions of this musical that hint in its story the rise of Diana
Ross and the Supremes both in Florida and here in Dallas.
Here's some fun trivia for
you: Originally the book writers and director Michael Bennett had
written into the show that at the end of Act One Effie Melody White dies
of a drug overdose. But once Jennifer Holiday came along and the
reaction towards her performance was so strong, it begged for Effie to
return in the second Act.
Now we have the film version starring Beyonce Knowles, Jamie Foxx, Eddie
Murphy, Danny Glover, Anika Noni Rose, Keith Robinson and Jennifer
Hudson.
I know the Broadway score front to back (I have replaced that cast
recording three times now). I also have the CD of the full concert
version (recorded a few years ago with Audra McDonald, Heather Headley,
and Lilias White), which aided greatly in giving us the full score.
For the film they have kept about 85% of the original score. However
there are deletions of verses and choruses in several numbers. The
underscore of "Showbiz/ It's just showbiz" is out as well.
So what is gone from the stage versions you ask? The film has cut out
completely Lorrell's big number "Ain't No Party" from Act Two. Also for
the duet titled "When I first saw you" they have completely cut out
Deena's verses, now it's just a solo for Curtis (Jamie Foxx). Another
number that was cut out was the beautiful duet between Effie & CeCe sung
at the airport (on stage) called "I Miss You Old Friend".
Other numbers gone: "Press Conference"; "One More Picture Please";
"Party, Party"; "Only the Beginning"; Effie's "I'm Somebody"; and
Deena's "I Have Faith in Myself."
Some songs from the stage version put on film have been edited; the most
obvious is "One Night Only". On stage both the ballad and disco flavored
version of the song had more length on stage, in the film they have been
edited here and there.
In the original Broadway version, the Act Two opening was called "Dreams
Medley", but when the Los Angeles Company opened, the composers wrote a
"Dreamgirls" reprise. It would be this new second opening number that
was put into the original Broadway version as well as all later
versions. For the film it again has been altered.
Major sections of the James Thunder Early's breakdown and fight in Act
Two between him, Curtis and Lorrell (called "Quinette/The Rap" on stage)
have been practically erased in the film; it now carries a
simple, faint lyric.
In place of these missing songs, they have composed three new songs -
all FANTASTIC numbers. Since no titles or ending credits were given, I
don't know the titles of these new songs. Effie has a new, toe tapping
up-tempo song that she sings at a rehearsal session. James Early has a
deeply moving ballad with Lorrell sung with a back up choir called
"Patience". The final number is a GREAT ballad that Deena sings in the
recording studio.
Bill Condon wrote & directed this film. Condon knows a thing or two
about adapting a stage musical into a film. He wrote the screen
adaptation of another stage musical for the screen, the Academy Award
winning CHICAGO.
The film really pushes more the connection of this being the story of
Diana Ross and the Supremes than the stage version. The film uses real
social commentary and pieces of American history to help the audience
in knowing the timeline. Such as Martin Luther King, the civil rights
struggle, and so on. They push more of Effie having Curtis's child. In
Ms. Ross's case, she had a daughter from Motown Czar Barry Gordy.
It was Gordy who felt that if they put the thinner, sexier Ross in front
of the trio, they could sell records and book major, ritzy hotel
concerts. This meant that Florence Ballard, the one with the vocal chops
in the Supremes, was pushed out of the center spot and forced to back up
Ross's thin reed vocals. Ballard was heavier than Ross, but she had the
voice.
Ballard (like Effie) became much trouble to work with, forcing Gordy to
fire (right before an all important Las Vegas hotel gig) her. Legend has
it no in the audience even noticed that Ballard had been replaced that
night. Ballard would slowly become an alcoholic, having to live on
welfare and sadly died broke and alone.
Many of Ross's and the Supremes career highs and lows, battles, and
backstage diva fights is captured brilliantly in the film.
Wait till you see those costumes, wigs, & make up! Gorgeous, sumptuous
gowns, satin slick coats, just great detail to period costuming as well.
These costumes are some of the best I've seen on film in some time. The
gowns for the Dreams alone are marvelous!
For the film they have brought in Broadway Tony winning lighting
Designer Jules Fisher and it shows BIG TIME on the screen with
magnificent results. A lot of the musical numbers have dazzling,
amazing, exquisite lighting! It is jaw-dropping perfection!
Number after number has brilliant, eye popping design in lighting- such
as "Dreamgirls", "And I Am Telling you", "Family", "Move (You're
Stepping on my Heart)", and many others.
Two personal favorite numbers of mine that contain this radiant lighting
design were "One Night Only" (the disco version) and "Hard to Say
Goodbye". My god it was MAJOR eye candy with the lighting for these two
numbers!!
Oh-and look for MAJOR glitter cannons for the finale! As someone
recovering from glitter addiction, I overdosed in the glitz of this
finale number.
Some of the editing is a little distracting at times, when the vocals
are going on, the camera and editing focus on the reactions of the
others, instead of the singer. One number that was uneven editing was in
the rough cut was "Steppin to the Bad Side". For the current version
they have actually focused more on the dancers & choreography- which
made the number much, much better.
Speaking of choreography-Fatima Robinson does a superb job with the
choreography. The aforementioned number has some great dance created for
it. The choreography for a lot of the girl numbers is just so brilliant-
such as the smashing, elegant choreography for "Dreamgirls" and the
disco number "One Night Only" which includes a wall of blinding lights
and dancers with light spears. Although in the rough cut they showed
more of the choreography, for the current this has been edited a little.
I will not spoil for you what they did for the musical numbers
themselves, you need to see them and discover them on your own like
gilded gift boxes of surprise!
The performances for the majority of the cast are first rate with a
couple of possible Oscar contenders!
I am not a fan of Beyonce Knowles or Destiny's child. Knowles is not a
power lunged singer-but more of a studio voice (like Diana Ross). But in
the film she is absolutely fantastic as Deena Jones. She truly grasps
the confused, shy, and quiet Deena like a seasoned pro. She blossoms
into the role beautifully. Wait till you see her bring down the house
with the new ballad that she sings towards the end. At both screenings
the audience erupted into applause when she hit that final note. They
really mold Knowles to look like Diana Ross and it is amazing to see
this. From the beaded gowns, big hair, right down to Ross's huge spider
like fake eyelashes-she is Miss Ross! Knowles is terrific in the film.
Eddie Murphy is perfect as James Early. He is hilarious and yet shows
some solid dramatic chops later in the film. Vocally he sounds great. He
rides the character arc of glitzy showman turn drug addict with great
finesse. Now I will say that at times you can't help but notice the
character he did in COMING TO AMERICA creep up now and then. I'm talking
about the horrible lead singer of that band sexual chocolate.
A couple of times you saw some of that in Murphy's performance-but that
fit James Early Thunder perfectly. Murphy has an excellent shot for an
Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor in this film.
Keith Robinson gives the best performance I have ever seen of "CeCe"-
the composer who is Effie's brother. He has a very clean tenor voice
that belts beautifully in his solos. He soars in "Family" in crystal,
clean tones.
Anika Noni Rose not only holds her own, but also steals several scenes
as "Lorrell". On Broadway Loretta Divine gave the role more sass and
ballsy broad than what Rose created. Rose goes for a more shy with
slightly ditzy overtones that had the audience howling in laughter. She
is hysterical, but brings her dramatic chops later in the film that will
break your heart in two, melting into your butter popcorn.
Jamie Foxx is the only lead that seems a little out of sync with his
character. He does do a really good job, but somehow does not follow his
subtext. But he is quite entertaining in the film. I just wished they
did not alter scenes at times to bulk up his role. I know he won an
Oscar and sadly it shows a couple of times that the film's creators were
padding his role to give his character more weight.
There are also some cameos that were fun to see. Such as John Lithgow as
a film director who takes a pool meeting with Deena. Another fun cameo
is John Krasinski! If you are a fan of the TV hit THE OFFICE, then you
know him as "Jim" on the NBC hit. In the film he portrays the
screenwriter for Lithgow's film.
A cameo that did make the audience react verbally and with applause was
Loretta Divine! The original "Lorrell" and the only cast member from the
original Broadway cast has a touching cameo in the film!
Other Broadway stars in the film include Hilton Battle (TAP DANCE KID,
MISS SAIGON) and Ken Page (CATS, AIN'T MISBEHAVIN).
Then there's Jennifer Hudson. Out of everyone in the film she is the
only one that had the major pressure. Everyone knows Holiday's legendary
voice and performance of those numbers-especially "And I Am Telling
You". That's a major mountain of expectations to overcome.
Suffice to say Ms. Hudson succeeds with such resounding success that her
performance will leave you speechless. Hudson is magnificent, funny,
powerful, and bold as "Effie". In my rough cut review I said the
following: "
I'll say it here and now (although I'm sure some will disagree with me).
Hudson could be a serious contender for an Academy Award. I doubt she
will get the nod, but she deserves it."
In the current issue of ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY (with the Dreamettes on the
cover) they are saying Hudson is a sure bet for a Best Supporting Oscar
nomination. But I predicted it first! Lol.
Hudson's version of "And I Am Telling You" is exquisite, powerful, and
devastating emotional. She devours the lyrics and releases from every
pore of her body the agony and pain of losing her man, friends,
and career all at once. Ms. Hudson brings down the house. She soars into
those large, belting notes like a tiger. I mean she rises vocally higher
and higher, louder & louder, and with such emotional & vocal strength
that you are left begging for me! Throughout the song at both
screenings, the audience would erupt into loud applause, including me. I
had tears in my eyes as she ripped open her heart begging her man to
stay. It is magical. Pure movie magic.
Hudson also does sublime work with "I Am Changing" and "One Night
Only"-Hudson steals the film. She really does. I can't say enough great
things about her performance.
In the rough cut version:
My only real major complaint would be the ending. During the "Hard to
Say Goodbye" finale, they kept cutting back to Jamie Foxx reacting to
someone in the audience. If you know the stage version, then you know
what I'm talking about. This is very distracting and hurts the Dreams
big finale number. There was NO need to keep cutting back to Foxx,
realizing who was in the audience, and then he walks from his balcony
seat to this person. All this is just unneeded, unwanted, and
distracting subtext. It's a perfect example of the producers and
director trying to pad Foxx's role. I wrote in my audience poll form my
extreme displeasure of this added, unnecessary subplot for Foxx and the
finale. That final number is all about the Dreams. Not Curtis. But that
really was my only major complaint of this otherwise perfect film.
For the current version:
They have deleted some of the Foxx's reactions (they took out the shots
of him running out of his balcony seat, down the hall, etc). Not all,
but some. Honestly, this is my only real main problem with the
movie-there is no need to tie up all the loose ends. This is the Dreams
finale, and all that cutting away from them to show Foxx react to the
child is a major, major distraction.
This film is phenomenal and truly one of the few best films of 2006.
Which so far, let's face it- there really hasn't been that many
lackluster, critically acclaimed films in the canons of 2006.
DREAMGIRLS will be a major force to recon with come awards season! I
predict several Golden Globe, SAG, and Oscar nods coming its way this
season. I can see why at Canne the audience went crazy.
Film versions of musicals has had a rollercoaster ride for the last
several years. Richard Attenborough's ugly, awful A CHORUS LINE about
killed the movie musical. But then came CHICAGO, which won Best
Picture.
RENT and THE PRODUCERS though were met with mixed response. RENT got
mixed reviews, but THE PRODUCERS was met with mainly negative reviews.
Both did not succeed at the box office. As a MAJOR "Rent head" since
1996, I thought RENT the film was superb and deeply emotional, while for
me the film version of THE PRODUCERS was lame and lacked the spark from
the live stage version.
DREAMGIRLS is what movie musicals all are about and why the gods of film
created this genre. It is spectacular and one of the BEST FILMS OF 2006.
GRADE: A+
John F. Garcia, Jr.
Executive Director/Producer, "THE COLUMN" Theatre Awards
Editor & Founder of THE COLUMN
Texas Regional Theater Critic for talkinbroadway.com
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