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:

Singer | 1960s | Broadway Musical | Star | Performer

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 42 wins & 46 nominations

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:

130 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Ireland:12A | Singapore:PG | UK:12A (theatrical release) | Australia:M | Germany:o.Al. | Finland:K-7 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Hong Kong:IIA | Argentina:13 | Brazil:12 | Norway:A | South Korea:12 | Malaysia:U | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Sweden:Btl | Norway:10 (TV rating) | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Alexandria Hotel - 501 S. Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Both Will Smith and Terrence Howard were considered for the role of Curtis Taylor, Jr.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the montage, the entry in the charts does not make sense. The song is #1 in its first week, but it was also #8 the previous week.

Quotes:

May: I'm amazed, Mr. Taylor. As much as I love my daughter, I never thought she had much of a voice.
Curtis Taylor Jr.: Oh, Deena has something better. She has a...quality.
May: You make her sound like a product.
Curtis Taylor Jr.: A product. I like that!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Dancing with the Stars: Round 6 (#4.10)" (2007/I)

Soundtrack:

Goin' Downtown

Dream-Musical to revive the Genre!!

The pumped up beats, the glamorous outfits, and that Motown sound - YEAH! Something which the film industry's been waiting for since Chicago won a Best Picture Nod at the Oscars in 2002.

The casting is pitch-perfect. Jennifer Hudson is astounding, which keeps you wondering about her departure from American Idol due to insufficient voting??!! That voice, and those emotions pave the way for Oscar glory. Beyonce Knowles, though many critics have credited her as the weakest link in the movie, is far from being weak. Her radiant-glamour and her 20lbs less voluptuous figure, shine whilst "the Dreams" are on stage. She is far from being the weakest link. As Deena Jones, Beyonce has the voice, experience, looks and talent. Eddie Murphy actually acts, and "NO!" -he does not over-act, play multiple characters, or provides unneeded humor- there is a vein of emotions displayed vividly in his character -James "Thunder" Early - from his love between his wife and back-up singer, drug addiction, and winding career. Its too bad, it took Murphy this long to realise his capability and potential in a significant contribution to the film industry. Jamie Foxx - is easily the weakest link. His performance is insipid and it seems like he has been pasted in the scenes to give them attitude and ego-ism. Though its a very Jamie Foxx character, and is pretty much Curtis Taylor Jr. Jamie Foxx's on-screen presence and performance was not good enough. Anika Noni-Rose did not receive the acclaim she deserved. Sure she is the least known in the cast, but her portrayal of Lorell was spot-on, and was as powerful as Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson's performances. Her voice was amazing, and I hope this movie rockets her career.

The music especially the additional songs, gave this movie the final touches. Amazingly directed by Bill Condon, this is one movie, that lived up to its hype. Loved every bit of it.