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Dreamgirls (2006)
Rate:
2
Viewed:
2/17
2/17:
Long music video does not make a motion picture, and that's what happened for Dreamgirls.
Oh, it's so damn bad that I can't believe that this one ran for 130 minutes. I've seen many such films featuring
success-in-music-business stories, and I can name at least twenty of them that are heads and shoulders above
Dreamgirls.
Putting up with the dreadful editing, my patience wore thin not long after starting the film, and I couldn't believe how
many musical segments I had to sit through with hardly much of dialogue between them. They're all terrible! Not only that but
some of the characters, out of the blue, also sung the words instead of speaking. I was like, "What the...?"
The setting is supposed to take place during the 60's and 70's, but the appearance and the songs are anachronistic. In fact,
everything looks and sounds 21st century. Way to go, everybody. The lyrics are horrible. They're so superficial that any
fifth grader can compose the same crap. The songs of the 60's and 70's were deep and symbolic. Try The Supremes or any other
noteworthy black groups of the time and then listen to any song in Dreamgirls. There's no comparison.
I know when a movie stinks if I'm unable to remember the characters' name or their faces, and that's the case
with Dreamgirls. The only ones I know are those played by Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Jennifer Hudson. However,
nobody makes an impression. Then, I started to beg, "Just end the music already, for fuck's sake."
Of the cast, everybody is terrible. Jennifer Hudson doesn't deserve the Oscar win because it's supposed to be for
acting, not singing! Eddie Murphy is nothing special. Nix his Oscar nomination, too. Beyoncé Knowles is beyond forgettable.
She can't act to save her life and is as cardboard as they come. Is the movie intended to be a vanity project for her?
The toupee on Jamie Foxx's head looks ridiculous. Did he get that from Goodwill?
There are plenty of similarities between the characters and real people. Jennifer Hudson's Effie, who's
supposed to die in the film, is based on Florence Ballard, a founding member of The Supremes. Jamie Foxx's Curtis
is based on Berry Gordy who created the Motown record label. Minus the huge hair, Beyoncé Knowles' Deena is based on
Diana Ross. It's hard to tell who Eddie Murphy's Jimmy Early is supposed to be based on, and it can be either
Chuck Berry, Jackie Wilson, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, or Lionel Richie. In short, his character is all over the place. The
sight of the Jackson 5 wannabe is gross.
When Deena (think of her as Diana Ross) was talking about doing a movie project with John Lithgow's character, it's probably
The Bodyguard with Steve McQueen who was later replaced by Ryan O'Neal. The project fell through during the late 70's
and didn't get made until 1992 when Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner got on board.
All in all, take a pass on Dreamgirls which is nothing but a catalog of fake Motown songs.