Synopsis

In 1960s Detroit, a good night onstage can get you noticed but it won’t get your song played on the radio. Here, a new kind of music is on the cusp of being born. A sound with roots buried deep in the soul of Detroit itself, where songs are about more than what’s on the surface, and everyone is bound together by a shared dream. car salesman Curtis Taylor Jr wants to make his mark in the music business, to form his own record label and get its sound heard on mainstream radio at a time when civil rights are still only a whisper in the streets. He just needs the angle, the right talent, the right product to sell. Late for their stint in a local talent show, The Dreamettes (Deena Jones, Lorrell Robinson, and lead singer Effie White) show up in their cheap wigs and homemade dresses, rehearsing songs and steps by Effie’s brother, C.C., hoping that talent and sheer desire will break them out of the only life that seems available to them. They’re young. They’re beautiful. They’re just what Curtis needs. All they have to do is trust him.

What The Critics Say

"I must toss a bouquet to the amazing American Idol reject Hudson, who sells a song like Garland, only louder, and to Murphy for his terrific interpretation of Early." Jean Lowerison SAN DIEGO METROPOLITAN "It's Hudson who owns Dreamgirls; her delivery of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is worth a standing ovation or at least a recount on American Idol all by itself." Matt Brunson CREATIVE LOAFING "Dreamgirls is like a really fabulous party. The next morning, you don't remember anything special that happened, but you know you had a blast." Eleanor Ringel Gillespie ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION "With its sensational music, snappy editing and fabulous visuals, Dreamgirls has all the elements. Ambition, power, passion, plus Jennifer Hudson, who can belt out a song with so much soul, that it is likely to pierce your heart." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "Murphy is a revelation as James, and what American Idol castoff Hudson lacks in technical acting craft she makes up for in raw energy and a voice that could melt the rhinestones off a beauty queen." Maitland McDonagh TV GUIDE'S MOVIE GUIDE

"This is the first time I ever saw people sit during the closing credits, just so they could cheer when a performer's name came up." Mick LaSalle SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE "A production so good it reinvigorates the movie musical, gives it grit and substance and returns it to glory." Pete Hammond MAXIM "Dazzling - one of the Best Pictures of 2006. It could rival "Chicago" in the upcoming Oscar race. It's that good!" Susan Granger SUSANGRANGER.COM "the picture belongs lock-stock-and-barrel to newcomer Jennifer Hudson as the group’s cast-off lead, in one of the most electrifying debuts in movie history (her rendition of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” would raise gooseflesh on a statue). The role won Jennifer Holliday a Tony on Broadway, and it damn well better win Hudson an Oscar." Jim Lane SACRAMENTO NEW & REVIEW "Despite a new ballad written for the movie, the character of Deena hasn't a chance in terms of audience sympathy against Effie, the pathos factory. Hudson has the good sense, even at her young age, not to treat every second of screen time as an opportunity to destroy her cohorts. The role does all the work, and her big number, emotional blackmail in song, works overtime." Michael Phillips CHICAGO TRIBUNE

The Inside Story What a cast! What a spectacle! What songs! Yes "Dreamgirls" is just about everything you'd expect in a bigscreen adaptation of a Broadway production. The team behind the bigscreen production is a beauty. Director Bill Condon, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of "Chicago" and writer-director of "Kinsey" and "Gods and Monsters", for which he received the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, wrote the screenplay for "Dreamgirls" based on the stage musical’s original book and lyrics by Tom Eyen with music by Henry Krieger. Krieger came on board writing four outstanding new songs for the movie version: "Love You I Do" (performed by Jennifer Hudson); "Listen" (performed by Beyonce Knowles); "Patience" (performed by Eddie Murphy, Keith Robinson and Anika Noni Rose) and "Perfect World" (performed by Jordan Wright). "Twenty-five years later, I'm getting to relive the dream. The show has been very faithfully kept intact and yet given its own vibration, for which I give all credit to Bill Condon's amazing screenwriting and direction, along with the collaborators who worked with the orchestrations from the original show by Harold Wheeler," says Krieger. "It all comes out as being very organic to the piece. I love it." I suspect that most cinemagoers will agree with Krieger assessment. They loved the film at this years Golden Globe's, the first major award in the leadup to the Oscars ®. Jennifer Hudson (sensational as Effie) and Eddie Murphy (who adds a spark every time he hits the screen) were both rewarded for their performances with a Golden Globe and the film picked up a gong for Best Picture. "There is something primal about musicals," says writer-director Bill Condon. "They can get under your skin in a way that straight dramas can’t. In "Dreamgirls", the emotions bleeding through the songs made it a profoundly affecting experience." The basis for "Dreamgirls" is three young women who want a better life through their singing talents. All they need is the right break. Condon, who was there on opening night for the original stage production notes: "We all know what it’s like to desperately want something we can’t have. We all know what it’s like to be left behind. Or to sacrifice everything for something you think you want, only to realize too late what you’ve lost. Here, in these characters, was all the hope and anguish laid bare. It’s what has stayed with me all these years later, and what I wanted to bring back to life in this film." Of course we all know that these days fame can come a lot quicker thanks to shows such as the "Idol" series. While Jennifer Hudson didn't make it to the top with American Idol, her hunger for success has been realized with "Dreamgirls". "The themes of this story seem to be even more relevant today than they were twenty-five years ago," notes producer Laurence Mark. "What are the gains and losses that accompany fame? What are the consequences if you don’t compromise? What are the consequences if you do? Is talent something to be packaged and sold? And finally, in the quest to hang on to your dreams, how can you also hang on to yourself?" The storyline of "Dreamgirls" is the 60's and 70's, a time when African-American music was making inroads into the American music scene. "This story takes place in the 60's and 70's, which was a period of vast social and political change," says Condon. "The characters in "Dreamgirls" reflect that upheaval." Co-founder of Louverture Films LLC and cast member Danny Glover notes that "Dreamgirls" "takes place in a very unique time in history, the beginning of the urbanization of music. The rise of the Civil Rights movement was bringing segregation to its end. The focus was shifting to the urban centers in the country." A hallmark of the film is its superb cast and none is more outstanding than American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson who plays Effie. The filmmakers conducted a six-month search, seeing more than seven hundred and eighty women to find the right combination of strength, passion and vulnerability to embody the character that made a young gospel singer named Jennifer Holliday a household name in the 1980's. "We held open auditions in Chicago, Detroit, New York, Atlanta, St. Louis, and here in L.A.," recalls casting director Debra Zane. "The role of Effie is so important; she’s basically the heart of the movie. It was critical that we found exactly the right person to play this role." For Hudson it was her dream being realized. "I stood on the ‘American Idol’ stage and then was the one to leave," Hudson says. "I was okay with it because I knew it wasn’t my dream. I knew my dream was coming, and here it is. In a way, I’m like Effie, on that kind of rollercoaster and coming out of it with a deeper understanding of myself and my art." The catalyst for the Dreamettes trip to success is Cadillac salesman Curtis Taylor Jnr played by Academy Award ® winning actor Jamie Foxx. "Curtis is a rough-edged kind of guy who is trying to get into the music business," says Foxx. "He just wishes that he could have sung better, could have written better music, could have played some type of instrument, but he can't." "Curtis is everywhere, putting things together," says Condon, who also wrote and directed "Gods and Monsters", which won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature and was named Best Picture of 1998 by the National Board of Review. "They are three hungry, excited, anxious, naïve girls," says Beyoncé Knowles who plays Deena Jones. The third member of the girl group is Lorrell Robinson, played by Tony Award-winning Broadway actress Anika Noni Rose. Enter James 'Thunder' Early, played by Annie Award winner Eddie Murphy. By jimminy, every time he's on the screen the film goes up another notch. "Everyone loves him because he’s really one of a kind," says Murphy. "He just can’t seem to break through, but he is an R&B originator, bringing the sound that white kids could dance to; like James Brown, Chuck Berry, Little Richard. While the country was still segregated, they were bridging the world of music, bringing 'black' sound to 'white' America. It wasn’t until later that these performers realized just how much they accomplished." Starring in "Dreamgirls" provided Murphy with a bonus. "Working alongside Danny, who is one of my heroes, is just incredible." "Marty is an old school talent manager," notes Glover. "He discovered James when he was a kid, so he’s like a father figure to him." And is it true that Murphy was pencilled in for the role right from the beginning? "I had Eddie Murphy in mind to play James Early from the beginning," says Condon. 'Fortunately, like me, Eddie had seen the original ‘Dreamgirls’ several times." "Eddie took the biggest risk," says Laurence Mark (producer of the hit film "Riding in Cars With Boys") adding, "and he really went for it, aiming for the rafters." "Eddie’s the type of guy that can really do it all," notes Foxx. "His acting, his stand-up. All that talent. Then, he comes in here and goes into his song and dance number, it’s incredible. You know you’re working with great talent. Multiple GRAMMY Award winner Beyoncé Knowles notes; "Look out when Eddie Murphy takes the stage. He rocks in everything he does. The middle name in his character, ‘Thunder,’ really doesn’t do justice to describing his energy and the effect he has on an audience." While that all sounds great, it isn't all smooth sailing in "Dreamgirls". The film takes a dramatic turn when Effie is betrayed by Curtis who turns his attention to lead singer Deena. "Curtis is obsessed with Deena, in part because she is his creation," says Condon. "He sees her as an image that he’s packaging to the world." "Curtis sees Deena as a product, a can of Coke," says Foxx. "He’s willing to do anything to keep the music marketable, as opposed to really finding out what her sensibilities and her emotions are all about. Success is an exercise in compromise." In some ways, Deena's story is one Knowles is familiar with. "Beyoncé has lived some of Deena Jones’s story already," says Condon. "She was born to play this role and understands it intuitively." In fact, Knowles had to 'tone down' her beautiful voice in the early part of the film. 'Because Deena’s performance style is so different from my style, I had to hold back, to remind myself, 'Don’t sing it in full voice, sing it like Deena.' She is all about subtleties," Knowles observes. "She’s very feminine and sexy, in a subtle, slightly mysterious way." "It took a great deal of skill on Beyoncé's part for her to turn into Deena Jones," observes Mark, "for her not to pull focus in the first section of the movie and to be a singer very different from herself throughout." There's a lot of 'wow' factor in the film including the costumes designed by Sharen Davis, who by the way, worked with Two time Academy Award ® winner Denzel Washinton on the film "Devil In A Blue Dress" Davis also had the experience of working as a background singer behind her. "I had a short history as a background vocalist, and I remember what I used to wear." But back to those costumes. "This was a revolutionary time in fashion and creating the costumes for "Dreamgirls" let me run the gamut from what was happening on the street to the ultimate in glamour for the concert stage," she says. "The cast had as much fun wearing the costumes as I did designing them." From go to whoa, "Dreamgirls" is certainly very entertaining. Most will find it a satisfying experience, although I suspect the film won't be everyones cup of tea. The Verdict "It's supposed to be a film inspired by the story of "The Supremes", but the keyword is inspired. This adaptation of the acclaimed Tony Award-winning Broadway phenomenon works pretty well most of the time, but the keyword is most of the time. And much of that time is when two of the cast are onscreen stealing the show. 2007 Golden Globe Award winner Eddie Murphy's performance as James "Thunder" Early is totally deserving of the GG Award as is that of Jennifer Hudson who is absolutely sensational as Effie. For both cast members this is their first GG AWard. Nominated for five GG Awards, "Dreamgirls" picked up another gong for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. The costuming, songs, the high- times, the low-times, the choreography by Fatima Robinson, the addition of four new songs by Henry Krieger and a solid cast should delight lovers of big musical dramas. Hang in at the end for the very colorful credits. Very entertaining effort. 4 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "DREAMGIRLS" stars .......
Academy Award ® & multiple GRAMMY Award winner Jamie Foxx ["Any Given Sunday", "Ali", "Collateral" and "Ray"]; ASCAP & Image Award winner Beyoncé Knowles (Beyoncé Giselle Knowles) ["Austin Powers in Goldmember", "The Fighting Temptations" and "The Pink Panther"]; Independent Spirit Award Danny Glover ["Leathal Weapon I, II, III & IV", "Places in the Heart", "Saw" and "The Shaggy Dog"]; Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose [critically acclaimed Stage Productions "Footloose", "Eli's Comin" and "Caroline, or Change"]; 2006 ShoWest Female Star of Tomorrow Jennifer Hudson ["TV'S American Idol series"]; Keith Robinson ["Fat Albert" and TV's "American Dreams", "E.R." & "Power Rangers"]; Three time Tony Award winner Hinton Battle [Broadway Stage Shows "Sophisticated Ladies", "The Tap Dance Kid", "Miss Saigon"] and 1987 American Cinematheque Award & 2007 Golden Globe winner Eddie Murphy ["Beverly Hills Cop", "Daddy Day Care", "Bowfinger" and "Shrek I & II"] as James 'Thunder' Early.
"DREAMGIRLS" was .......
directed by Academy Award ® & British Directors Guild Award winner Bill Condon ["Sister, Sister", "Gods and Monsters", "Chicago" and "Kinsey"]; screenplay by Bill Condon ["Chicago" and "Kinsey"]; production design by Two Time Academy Award ® winner John Myhre ["Ali", "The Haunted Mansion", "Chicago" and "Memoirs of a Geisha"]; director of photography Tobias A Schliessler ["Welcome To The Jungle" and "Friday Night Lights"]; original music by Henry Krieger ["Dreamgirls", "The Tap Dance Kid" and "Side Show"] costume design by Sharen Davis ["Antwone Fisher", "Devil in a Blue Dress", "Out of Time", "Ray" and "The Pursuit of Happyness"] and produced by Laurence Mark ["Jerry Maguire", "I, Robot" and "As Good As It Gets"]. Run Time 130 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2007 - DreamWorks Pictures - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2007 - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved