Dreamgirls (2006)

Director:

Bill Condon

Writers:

Bill Condon (screenplay)
Tom Eyen (book)

Release Date:

25 December 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical

Tagline:

Fame Comes And Goes, Stars Rise And Fall, But Dreams Live Forever

Plot:

Based on the Broadway musical, a trio of black female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960's.

Plot Keywords:

Profanity | Price Of Fame | Drug Overdose | Drugs | Unemployment

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 41 wins & 46 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. May 15	4:30 PM	HBO
Mon. May 19	10:00 AM	HBO
Mon. May 19	8:00 PM	HBO

Cast

Jamie Foxx	...	Curtis Taylor, Jr.
Beyoncé Knowles	...	Deena Jones
Eddie Murphy	...	James "Thunder" Early
Danny Glover	...	Marty Madison
Jennifer Hudson	...	Effie White
Anika Noni Rose	...	Lorrell Robinson
Keith Robinson	...	C.C. White
Sharon Leal	...	Michelle Morris
Hinton Battle	...	Wayne
Mariah I. Wilson	...	Magic (as Mariah Wilson)
Yvette Cason	...	May
Ken Page	...	Max Washington
Ralph Louis Harris	...	M.C. (as Ralph Harris)
Michael-Leon Wooley	...	Tiny Joe Dixon
Loretta Devine	...	Jazz Singer

Also Known As:

Dream Girls (International: English title) (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language, some sexuality and drug content.

Runtime:

131 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Ireland:12A | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Finland:K-7 | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Argentina:13 | Hong Kong:IIA | USA:PG-13 | Germany:o.Al. | Malaysia:U | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Singapore:PG | UK:12A (theatrical release) | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Brazil:12 | Norway:A | South Korea:12 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Alexandria Hotel, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Effie (Jennifer Hudson) is supposed to be older than Michelle (Sharon Leal). In real-life Leal is 9 years older than Hudson.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the success montage, the Dreams' "Dreamgirls" single is shown climbing up Billboard magazine's "Top LP's" albums chart, and not its "Hot 100" singles chart.

Quotes:

Lorrell Robinson: It doesn't take a whiz to know that only a desperate man would drop his pants in living color on national television!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Entourage: The WeHo Ho (#4.6)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Step on Over

A Triumph!!

What a spectacular movie musical experience! This is one worth waiting in line, if not purchasing advance tickets for. Beautifully realized by writer-director Bill Condon, 'Dreamgirls' brings back thoughts of a few years ago when the movie musical version of 'Chicago' knocked our socks off, and (with the help of the gorgeous 'Moulin Rouge') helped to revive the modern movie musical. The sets, costumes, musical numbers all flow beautifully and make for an incredibly affecting motion picture.

As amazing and eye-popping as all of the scene work and musical numbers are, this is, ultimately, a movie rooted in its performances. Jamie Foxx gives further credence to his stature as an incredibly talented musician, and Beyonce Knowles (known for her vocal talents) still manages to impress with her songs and her voice. Not to mention her stunning beauty, as each costume and scene in which she appears seem to top one another in terms of showcasing her incredible beauty. Eddie Murphy blew me away with not only his truly heartfelt performance as Jimmy Early, but his amazing voice and showmanship. What a talent! Anika Noni Rose, who I fell in love with on Broadway in 'Caroline, or Change,' gives her performance as Laurelle soul and a deep, rich vocal styling. But let's face it..we are all going into 'Dreamgirls' wondering if 'American Idol' contestant Jennifer Hudson can pull it off. She has quite a bit to live up to, as Jennifer Holliday's performance as Effie White in the original Broadway production is legendary. Add to that the fact that this is Ms. Hudson movie debut, she must have been feeling a huge weight on her shoulders to do the part, as well as the show, justice. If she isn't able to do anything less than nail the part of Effie, as well as her signature song, 'And I am Telling You,' the whole production, no matter how great the other aspects hold up, runs the risk of crashing loudly. The question on everyone's mind is: Can she do it?

Let me just say this... I have never sat in a theater watching a musical where the audience erupted in applause like they would in a Broadway theater after a performer's song. Everyone (and I mean everyone!) was wildly applauding when she struck her last note in 'And I am Telling You.' It was such an intense experience to be a part of. I mean...as I am writing this, I am getting goose bumps. But not only is her singing tremendously effective, but her actual performance is just as good. She brings a vulnerability and an innocence that perhaps would not have come through had the part been given to a more experienced movie performer. Ms. Hudson is nothing short of breathtaking and, even if you are not crazy about the rest of the picture (doubtful), you will almost certainly be amazed by her talent. Just remarkable. This has to be one of the most impressive motion picture debuts in the history of cinema. Even during the closing "curtain call," when Jennifer Hudson's name was shown, there was, again, wild applause. A star has been born!!!