Review of the Movie Dreamgirls

I first saw Dreamgirls on Broadway, when it was fresh off previews from a limited run in Boston. It was the early 1980's and Jennifer Holliday played the role of Effie. I remember the performance well - all the women in the house were slapping their knees, nodding their heads and humming along with the song And I'm Tellin' You, I'm Not Goin', while uh-huh-ing and all that. They were rather loud but it didn't really detract from the performance onstage. Ms. Holliday brought the house down with a resounding, powerful resonance. I never heard anything like it and perhaps might never witness such a tour-de-force again.

The film stars Beyonce Knowles as Deena Jones and introduces Jennifer Hudson as Effie. It is pretty faithful to the original story, but with a more inclusive finish. Jamie Foxx co-stars in the non-musical role of Curtis Taylor Jr., a risk taking gutsy manager with the unfortunate tendency of cutting loose some of his best talent by not always making the best choices for them. But former SNL cast member and stand up comic extraordinaire Eddie Murphy was a stand out in the memorable role of James 'Thunder' Early, an entertainer who could rival James Brown himself. He is a hands down/pants down sensation and might want to consider a second career as a soul singer. I'd buy a ticket!