I would just like to say that before this review gets started, I am NOT, in any way, a fan of musicals. In fact, before I saw CHICAGO for myself, I was intent on giving it as much crap as possible because I knew it would win Best Picture at the Oscars. Now that I have seen it, I can say, with humility, that I hope this movie wins Best Picture, because it does deserve it. Although, THE TWO TOWERS was the BEST movie of the year, Chicago will no doubt win, and for very good reasons.
CHICAGO is a classic story taken from the Bob Fosse stage show of the same name. It tells the story of Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) a niave wife who has been two-timing her sweet but clueless husband, Amos (John C. Reilly). When Roxie finds out at her lover is no more than a lowly furniture salesman, she snaps and shoots him. Roxie is sent to a womens holding prison until her trial. there she meets Mama Morton (Queen Latifa), and Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones). You see, Velma was a big stage star before she shot both her husband and sister. She is used to all the press she is getting in the slammer and still acts like a star. But once Roxie shows up and gets the help of maverick hotshot lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere). Velma is thrown out of the spotlight. As Roxie struggles to keep her new-found fame, she must also play along with Billy's game of lies and deciet as he tries to get her murder charges dropped.
CHICAGO is an very entertaining, visually stunning film. The movie just has all the right things going for it. For one, the acting in the film is all top notch. Renee Zellweger is perfect for the role of the innocently guilty Roxie Hart. Cathrin Zeta-Jones is brilliant as the murdering stage star Velma Kelly, and Richard Gere is perfect as the suave lawyer Billy Flynn. The perfect cast is rounded out by John C. Reilly as Roxie innocent, clueless husband Amos, and Queen Latifa, who is plays the funny Big Mama Morton.
Also going for CHICAGO is the wonderfully filmed, expertly coreographed msical numbers. Rob Marshall, both director and coreographer of the movie, is absolutely brilliant in his choices. Numbers such as "Mr. Cellophane" and "All I Care About" are dilightfully energetic with color and attitude. My face was hurting from all the smiling I was doing from watching these characters sing and dance.
The final number is a hoot, and all the performances are absolutely grand. Chicago is truely one of the best films of the year, and I whole-heartedly agree with the Acadmy's desicions to honor it as such. |
