While I am not the biggest fan of the musical genre, there are some musicals that I have liked. Chicago definitely falls into that category. It’s a fun, enjoyable musical with a very dark side.
Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) has a dream of being a famous singer/dancer. She wants everyone to know her name and face. But after she kills the guy that was supposed to get her the big break that she’s been wanting (he was just using her for sex), she is sent to prison. There she meets her idol Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) who is in because she killed her stage partner/sister and her cheating husband. Immediately they take a disliking to each other. Then Roxie gets the most popular and expensive lawyer in Chicago not only to get the charges dropped, but to make her a famous star too.
Chicago is based on the extremely popular Broadway show by the same name. Though I have not seen the actual show, I’ve heard that it is a very good take on it. Like I said, this movie is incredibly enjoyable. You are able to sit back for the 113 minutes it’s playing and almost forget that you’re watching a movie. The musical numbers are great. They majority of them take place in Roxie’s head, as not to seem strange by just breaking into song. They are catchy little numbers, but only one or two tend to run a little long and lag.
The cast, comprised of Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Queen Latifah, Richard Gere, and John C. Reilly do an excellent job in their roles. Zellweger does a great job at making you dislike her character Roxie as the movie goes on. Gere is great as Billy Flynn, the lawyer who doesn’t do anything unless it benefits him. Queen Latifah, is the best she’s ever been in a movie as Mama Morton, the women’s prison guard. The beautiful Catherine Zeta-Jones, who won an Oscar for her role, as Velma Kelly is great, but did not deserve to win. It wasn’t a “Oscar Caliber” Performance. Nor do I think that it should have one best picture, as LOTR – The Two Towers and Gangs of New York were both better films. The actors nominations were deserved though. John C. Reilly on the other hand, deserved not only the nomination, but he also deserved to win. Too bad he didn’t. Reilly is one of the best actors around today, and his portrayal of Amos, Roxie's naïve, neglected husband is one of, if not the best performances in the movie.
I really enjoyed Chicago, which really, really surprised me. It’s a very fun film that you should definately catch. |
