Directed by: Bill Condon
Written by: Bill Condon
Based on the play by: Tom Eyen
Produced by: Laurence Mark
Starring: Beyonce Knowles, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson, Eddie Murphy, Anika Rose
Studio: DreamWorks Pictures

*Spoilers, Spoilers, Spoilers*

Let me begin my review of Dreamgirls pointing out there are numerous flaws in this film. The editing, for one, is terrible and choppy and never seems to get the idea that the "montage thing" might be getting a little old by time you finish your soda. The cinematography is too hyperactive and annoying. The film doesn't really have an ending and Condon makes an odd, unwise decision of abandoning Lorell's story completely and leaving her on the sideline following James Early's death. There are plenty of bad performances here, for instance Jamie Foxx (I'm not sure what he was trying to do, but it wasn't working) and Danny Glover, who is a terrible casting decision. The film sees itself all too well as the big musical of modern day.

The surprising thing is that it almost is. Yes, now that we've gotten the bad stuff out of the way, let's talk about what's great about this film. Beyonce isn't nearly as bad as you think, although she isn't really great either. She's good and it's all she needs to be. Anika Noni Rose gives a fine performance, which makes it all the more a shame she suddenly gets so brutally forgotten in the last part of the film. Kieth Robinson is fine in his role. Jennifer Hudson - wow, she can sing and she can act when she sings. However, when she's not singing, the acting dies. On the other hand, she spends most of her screen time singing in one way or another, so there's not much to complain about. She rips through every one of her songs like it's her personal "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going". And then, of course, she lets loose "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", which reminds me of watching old news reels of atomic bombs exploding. She deserves more of a Grammy than an Oscar, but I won't complain about a nomination.

The real great performance here is Eddie Murphy, who can not only sing some astounding musical numbers - the "Fake Your Way to the Top" sequence is the high point of the film - he can act too. It's hard to forget how devastated he looks in his key scene. The Oscars tend to prefer more showy performances featuring a breakdown of some kind involving tears. Early has a breakdown, but it's a real one, the whole time masked by a gleeful smile that begins to look desperate and slightly insane.

As a whole, Dreamgirls is kept alive by these few strong performances and some great musical numbers. I might add the film features great Art/Set Decoration, as all musicals must, but some of the work is exceptional even for the genre. The sound as well is exceptional. For those of you who don't fancy musicals, you can wait till it arrives on DVD - the flaws will be too obvious, the film disappointing. But if you're the kind of person that hums "Wouldn't it be Loverly" on the way to work, you shouldn't miss this for the funeral of Audrey Hepburn. It's what she would have wanted anyway.