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Dreamgirls: A Review
By Nialah Charles
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Even though she's not always a fan of musicals, Youth Radio's Nialah Charles gives Dreamgirls, starring Beyonce and Jennifer Hudson (who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress), two thumbs up.
The movie Dreamgirls – starring Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose – came out on December 25, 2006 (Christmas day).
Usually I’m not really interested in musicals, but I thought this movie was excellent. After seeing it, I thought to myself that I would pay to see it again.
The movie is about three young girls in a group called the Dreamettes. These girls enter a talent show, but they end up losing. After the competition, a car salesman and soon-to-be-record manager named Curtis Taylor (played by Foxx) asks them if they want to sing back-up for Jimmy, a solo artist. After a while, the Dreamettes become their own act, with Effie White (played by Hudson) working as the lead singer. They make their name known, and then, Curtis decides to make Deena Jones (played by Knowles) the lead singer.
Before I watched Dreamgirls, I thought Foxx and Knowles would receive most of the recognition for the movie...but Hudson stepped up to the plate and was another strong, and surprising, actress.
No one really knew of Hudson’s acting skills coming into this film...she was previously known as one of the four finalists on the third season of American Idol...but she really proved herself to be a great actress. Her acting was especially believable when she would get angry: her nostrils would flare up and her mouth would get all scrunched up like someone who was really mad. I also believed Hudson’s role as a diva, because acted like she was the best and no one could sing better than her. When someone in the group would try to out sing her, she would always gave Foxx a certain look that said, “You better stop recording and tell them something!”
Effie really didn’t like the fact she had to move to the back up position after singing lead, and when she first found out, it seemed like she was a little jealous. I was thinking that Knowles would have started off as the lead singer and Hudson would later on become the lead singer. But I guess that’s what the director wanted everybody to think because Beyonce is so well known, so he switched up the expected roles.
So far, Hudson has already won a golden globe for her role, along with fellow cast member Eddie Murphy. She has also been nominated for an Oscar along with Murphy, and hopes to win in the category of Best Supporting Actress.
The movie’s soundtrack was also nominated for an award. Knowles was nominated for an Academy Award for her original song “Listen,” which is also featured on her album “B’Day.” Hudson sang Jennifer Holidays’ edition of “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” and she was nominated for a Black Reel Award.
Just a reminder: the Oscars are coming up Sunday. I think Hudson and Murphy should both get awards for their roles in “Dreamgirls.” If you like musicals, I’m sure you’ll like this one. But either way, you should go see the movie – I give it a nine out of ten.
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