Music whiz Curtis Taylor (Foxx) spots the Dreamettes--belting Effie (Hudson), gorgeous Deena (Knowles) and sexy-sweet Lorrell (Rose)--at a Detroit talent competition, quickly lining them up to back up established star James Thunder Early (Murphy). "I don't do oohs and aahs," huffs Effie, who's eventually wooed by Curtis' charms. Later, Curtis realises that the renamed Dreams have the ability to cross over out of the black charts to America at large, but only with Deena on lead vocal. Over the next decade, fame takes its toll on all of them.

The story kicks off with a bang, getting us in the mood with dynamic musical performances. Snappy and vibrant, the film's almost too much fun--superbly designed, lit, shot and edited. And writer-director Condon quickly starts deepening the characters as well. These are complex, distinct people, lively and troubled, funny and prickly, channelling their souls into their songs both on stage and off. We get a strong sense of how much they risk for fame and fortune. And how much it costs them all.

The cast is simply astonishing. Foxx, Glover (as a sidelined manager) and Robinson (as Effie's songwriting brother) give the film a solid anchor, while Murphy shines in the role of his career--he's perfectly cast in this all-singing, all-dancing, all-womanising gift of a character. Knowles, Rose and Leal (as the replacement Dreamgirl) all have incredibly strong scenes of their own. Knowles' physicality is astonishing, as is her big number late in the story.

But the real star is Hudson, with a full-bodied performance that rocks the film to the core. She has at least three show-stopping numbers that rank among the most devastating movie musical scenes, ever. And her character's journey is provocative and complicated. But then, everyone in this film is recognisably human, flawed and even sometimes unlikeable. We feel the potent emotions that hold them together or push them apart in a culture that forces them to play a game. It's quite simply one of the best ever musical movies. And a seriously great film.

themes, language, drugs, innuendo

28.Nov.06