Dreamgirls

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Drama

I first heard of “Dreamgirls” sometime in the early 1980s. From what little I recall, it was described as a musical loosely based on the rise of Diana Ross and the Supremes. As a fan of what has become known as “the Motown Sound”, I was curious about this musical, but sadly, had no means of watching it on the stage. Fast forward to 2006 and “Dreamgirls” was all set to be filmed for the big screen. Not only were the producers able to cast Beyoncé Knowles as the Diana Ross analogue Deena Jones, big time African-American actors like Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Danny Glover were also cast. What threw me for a loop was the choice to play temperamental diva Effie White.

Jennifer Hudson was an “American Idol” contestant the same year Fil-American Jasmine Trias was on. Jennifer was one of the early favorites to win that year, but Simon Cowell and the rest of “Idol” seem to have underestimated the power of Pinoys in America (the same can probably be said for Indian-Americans and the presence of Sanjaya Malakar this late in the competition). Well, the annoying Fantasia Barrino won that year, in my mind the worst “Idol” winner ever and Hudson? Well she beat out Fantasia for the coveted role of Effie.

“Dreamgirls” sometimes feels like a historical piece because it eerily mirrors the rise of Motown and the Supremes. Set in Detroit, Michigan in the early 1960s, friends Effie, Deena and Lorrell Robinson (Anika Noni Rose) are trying to snag a regular gig as a singing trio. When impresario Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Foxx) offers the girls a chance to be backup singers to James “Thunder” Early (Murphy), they agree and are rechristened “The Dreamettes”. Eventually Taylor sees the opportunity to market the girls as an all-girl group and renames them “The Dreams”, but pushes Deena into the lead singer role. This doesn’t sit well with Effie, and the resulting tension becomes the pivotal storyline to the picture.

In real life, producer Berry Gordy made Diana Ross the lead singer of the Supremes eventually causing Florence Ballard to get depressed, leave the group, try and fail at a solo career, and eventually die at age 32. “Dreamgirls” doesn’t go that far with the Effie character, but it does show the bitterness and anger that was long-rumored to be the cause for Ballard’s departure from the group. Though James “Thunder” Early was clearly a combination of James Brown and Marvin Gaye, the character’s fall and death were heightened for the story’s dramatic purposes.

Director Bill Condon came up with a virtuoso performance behind the lens for this film. In a genre that has made a comeback in recent years, Condon shows both a mastery of the musical as well as a reverence for the source material. It’s never easy to incorporate singing and dancing in a movie, yet Condon seamlessly weaves these elements together to come up with a dazzling spectacle.

Though she was nominated (and won) as Best Supporting Actress in several award-giving bodies, it could easily be argued that Hudson was the lead actress in “Dreamgirls”. After all, it was Effie’s dismissal, fall, and rebirth that is at the film’s core. Hudson more than holds her own as the temperamental White, not showing any intimidation in front of more established actors and true movie stars. Knowles’ Deena doesn’t seem to do much acting here, perhaps because her real life has been very “Deena-like” as well. Foxx’s Taylor is portrayed as an ambitious producer with a clear vision on how to rise to the top, no matter who he has to step on to get there. From being a used car salesman to the brains behind the powerful Rainbow Records label, he is more twisted genius than brilliant music lover.

Some have argued that Murphy’s Jimmy Early was just a rehash of his old SNL spoof of James Brown. I, however, saw Murphy showing off both his acting and singing talents. Few remember that Eddie actually had some pop hits in the 80s, and his comedies have taken some luster away from his acting skills. If there’s anything that “Dreamgirls” proves however, it’s that if it is needed, Murphy can summon those acting skills with aplomb.

I enjoyed watching this film, even though the pirated DVD started skipping near the end. More than the music, the funky period costumes, or even the stellar cast, it was the story that was at the heart of the film that got to me. And although the “real” Effie faced a tragic ending, it was nice to see that, even as a hint or a memory, Florence Ballard lives on as a Dreamgirl.