DREAMGIRLS
(2 1/2 stars)
Jennifer Hudson, BeyoncŽ Knowles and Anika Noni Rose in "Dreamgirls"

Cast: Jamie Foxx, BeyoncŽ Knowles, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose, Keith Robinson, Sharon Leal and Hinton Battle
Director: Bill Condon
Studio Synopsis: In 1960s Detroit, a good night onstage can get you noticed but it wonÕt get your song played on the radio. Here, a new kind of music is on the cusp of being bornÑa sound with roots buried deep in the soul of Detroit itself, where songs are about more than whatÕs on the surface, and everyone is bound together by a shared dream. Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie Foxx) is a car salesman aching to make his mark in the music businessÑto 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 DreamettesÑDeena Jones (BeyoncŽ Knowles), Lorrell Robinson (Anika Noni Rose), and lead singer Effie White (Jennifer Hudson)Ñshow up in their cheap wigs and homemade dresses, rehearsing songs and steps by EffieÕs brother, C.C. (Keith Robinson), with hopes that talent and sheer desire will break them out of the only life that seems available to them. TheyÕre young. TheyÕre beautiful. TheyÕre just what Curtis is looking for. All they have to do is trust him. James ÒThunderÓ Early (Eddie Murphy) is a pioneer of the new Detroit sound, spellbinding audiences all along the ÒChitlinÕ CircuitÓ with his electrifying blend of soul and rock ÔnÕ roll. Curtis finesses The Dreamettes a gig singing backup for Early, and suddenly, for all of them, the gulf between what they want and what they can have draws closer for the first time. Curtis launches the girls as a solo act, rechristening them The Dreams, knowing in his gut that success lies not with the soulful voice of Effie, but with the demure beauty and malleable style of DeenaÑdespite their historyÉand CurtisÕ promises. Deena is ready to step into the spotlight, even as Effie fades away. As a new musical age dawns, CurtisÕ driving ambition pushes this one-time family to the forefront of an industry in the throes of music revolution. But when the lights come up and the curtains part, they hardly recognize who theyÕve become. Their dreams are finally there for the taking, but at a price that may be too heavy for their hearts to bear.
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 130 minutes
Official Web site: http://www.dreamgirlsmovie.com/
Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/dreamgirls/

Reviews:
Boca News (3 1/2 out of 4 stars)
City Link (4 out of 5 stars)
Local 10 (3 1/2 out of 4 stars)
The Miami Herald (3 out of 4 stars)
New Times Broward-Palm Beach
The Palm Beach Post (A)
The Sun-Sentinel (2 out of 4 stars)

 

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