Dreamgirls DVD

Advantages: A star-making turn from Jennifer Hudson and toe-tapping songs.
Disadvantages: An entirely superficial movie.

Deena, Effie and Lorrell are childhood friends united by their love of singing. They enter a talent contest as the Motown-style Dreamettes and catch the eye of ambitious would-be producer Curtis Taylor Jr. He gets them a job as backing singers with rhythm and blues star James "Thunder" Early. They're on their way, but Curtis contrives to remove Effie from the group and make Deena the star, to make the band appeal more to white audiences. Deena's ...
...she has to pay too high? Writer-director Bill Condon isn't a name you'd usually associate with movie musicals, having previously helmed biopics like "Kinsey" and "Gods and Monsters". That's not to say he doesn't make a decent fist of this thinly veiled song-and-dance take on Diana Ross and the Supremes. The film fizzes with energy and the song and dance numbers have real toe-tapping kick. But all the razzle-dazzle in the world cannot hide the narrative ... Read review

Advantages: The fabulous and Beautiful songs.
Disadvantages: Not much more than a little story.

“Dreamgirls” adapts a successful Broadway musical show in the beginning of the Eighties, directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett, and based on Tom Eyen’s book and lyrics (both already dead). The story finds its inspiration in the foundation and progression of Motown Records (Jamie Foxx plays the role of Motown’s director) and, particularly, in the Supremes’ creation and success (The Dreams in the movie). We don’t obviously see the Broadway ...
...create a song-atmosphere, to hear the excellent and vibrating R&B, Soul and Disco songs and music. With great interpretations, especially from Jennifer Hudson (Effie White), it is worthy to hear (and see, because in Jennifer’s face and body there is something else): “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going”, where in sublime despair she screams…“I’m not leaving without you!” and the fabulous “One Night Only”. But that is about the songs. And the movie ... Read review

Advantages: Good cast and catchy songs.
Disadvantages: Drags a little.

...Dreamgirls is a film following a group of singers called the Dreamettes. These three girls are on the hunt for fame and fortune and find it when they are offered the chance to sing behind thier favourite R&B sensation Sir James Thunder Early. They agree and are soon offered thier own spot in a show. It is then they become the Dreams because they are "no longer little girls, they are women". It is then things begin to drastically change. I really enjoyed this film. The music is fantastic I can't stop singing the songs. However, I think the film drags slightly in the middle as I found myself getting a little bored but the more I watched it the more I came to really enjoy it. The cast are fantastic especially Jennnifer Hudson who won an Oscar for her performance as Effie White. The cast also includes Beyonce Knowles Eddie Murphy... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Visually stunning; Jennifer Hudson
Disadvantages: Almost painfully cliche at times

...... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: great singing, acting, plot
Disadvantages: -

...I usually tend to avoid films with a lot of hype around them but I suppose with Dreamgirls it wasn't so much the hype rather a certain cast member. I am a Beyonce fan and do like her singing but I saw 'The Fighting Temptations' one of her previous acting roles and I wasn't too moved by her acting it was just another singer singing in a role and calling it acting. Now, I suppose not a lot really changed in this film as yet again she still plays the role of a singer but I suppose this is her best role yet and is much better than her Austin Powers days. The film has won many awards which I was quite shocked by it has won somewhere around 40 awards which is pretty amazing for a film so with this alone I decided to watch this. This film begins with us seeing a stage and singers on it, it is like a song contest and at the end one group only... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful