by Thomas Ferguson

Well, the wait is finally over and the big screen adaptation of the Tony Award winning Broadway musical Dreamgirls is starting to make its way across the country. Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Beyonce Knowles and Jennifer Hudson are ready to take the world by storm! They are knocking critics off their feet with powerhouse performances and mind blowing musical numbers. I’m just one of the many who’s been swept away by its sheer brilliance.

It all started on December 20, 1981. The curtain at New York’s Imperial Theatre opened and a musical legacy was born. Directed by Michael Bennett, the musical went on to 1,522 performances and six Tony Awards, including one for the legendary Jennifer Holiday, who won the prize for Best Actress in a Musical in 1982. As you can see, a film version of this iconic show would be a huge undertaking and one false move could be disastrous.

For those of you not familiar with the story, the Dreams are a girl group from Chicago, looking for their big break in the 1960’s. A chance meeting back stage at a talent show changes their lives forever and starts them on a journey of excitement, fortune, and disappointments. Backstage, lead singer Effie White (Hudson) and her groupmates Deena Jones (Knowles) and Lorrell Robinson (Tony Award Winner Anika Noni Rose) are approached by car salesman and future manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Foxx).

He offers them the opportunity to sing back up for hot artist James “Thunder” Early (Murphy) on his latest record and tour. They jump on the opportunity and along with their songwriter C.C. (Keith Robinson), Effie’s brother, they begin their careers. The fame is infectious and when they are offered their own act, friendship and loyalty are thrown out the window. Curtis wants them to be more mainstream and has a plan to make that happen.

Effie, who normally sings lead, is pushed into the background as the more attractive Deena is pushed forward. This causes a rift in the group and Effie is eventually thrown out all together.

Years pass and all involved have been changed. Deena is about to embark on a successful movie career, Curtis is a record mogul, C.C. is a successful songwriter, Lorrell is in love with Jimmy although he refuses to leave his wife. Jimmy has become a drug-crazed has-been trying to get his career back on track. Effie is living on a fixed income with a young daughter. Some dreams came true, but others did not. Fortunately, dreams never truly die.

Academy Award winning filmmaker Bill Condon (Chicago) brings his writing and directing talents to the table and orchestrates a masterpiece that delivers on every possible level. This movie has been heavily promoted for a year. Starting with one of the best teaser trailers of the year, buzz has been steadily growing for this picture. The buzz and the wait were well worth it.

The musical numbers were powerful and the acting only mirrored that fact. Foxx and all other players were perfectly cast; including Rose, Robinson, and Danny Glover who plays Marty, Jimmy’s first manager. There is even a cameo by Loretta Devine, who played Lorrell in the original Broadway cast. Even Knowles showed she had the acting chops to match her singing abilities, but there were two performances that stood out.

Eddie Murphy gave a career best performance. Not since 1996’s Nutty Professor has he shined so brightly. Let’s not forget the once ousted American Idol hopeful Jennifer Hudson. You have all heard the stories about her performance and believe me, they are all true! This breakout performance is one for the history books. Her rendition of …And I Am Telling You will have you blown away. I have never heard an audience reaction like that ever! A star is born in Hudson and this star will burn brightly for some time to come. So will this film, which is being honored by every award out there…And I am telling you, Oscar will surely follow.