02/09/07

A group of friends asked me to see Dreamgirls last night. With its hype in the air, I thought it would [dreamgirl_] be interesting to see if the hype was true or just bogus.

I have never seen the Broadway version before, but, in my opinion, the movie version totally matches up the hype. The story happened during the civil right struggle for blacks (or I would say every group of minority in the US) in 60s and 70s. . It is a dream of a group of young people who wanted to reach the star. But being blacks had put the heavy burden for them to be acknowledged in the main stream in particular it was clouded by the whites and discrimination. As Curtis Taylor (Jamie Foxx) said the blacks’ music- jazz, soul and blue were stolen by the whites and they were the one who benefited from blacks’ music. However, at the end, greed and self-ego had broken this family off until they realize that dreams were important but why they needed to have it when at the end they had no love and hurt someone they loved.

I have to say in this movie the one who steals all the thunders is Jennifer Hudson. Her powerful voice and superb performance blows my mind away. In particular her performance of “And I am Telling You I’m not Going”, it was the time that I felt like I was holding my breath when she was begging someone she loved to let her stay in the group and in their life. Eddie Murphy’s performance is one of his best performances. He shows that he could play other roles besides in those comedy movies. Jamie Foxx, I have to say, I am a little disappointed. He was superb in Ray but he did not look like he was singing from his heart when he sang “Family” and “When I First Saw You”. He looked like he was singing karaoke. Beyonce Knowles’s performance is just a little dry, not sure if her character should be that way but I have to say she is one of the most beautiful black women in Hollywood, other black women I think are very beautiful is Angela Bassett, Laurlyn Hill and Whitney Houston (of course before she became Bobby Brown’s wife, Gosh, I feel bad for her. I do not understand why those beautiful and talented girls have to fall for bad guys!)

One small mistake I found in this movie was when the Dream’s took pictures with the Great Wall of China. Given the time of the movie was in the 60s, I believe the US did not have the official diplomatic relations with China after they were taken over by the communists in 1949 until 1971 after Nixon’s first official visit to China.

I always think Black’s culture and history of struggle in the United States is very fascinating. The music they invented, the dance they created and attitude they have are derived from their own struggle. The movie, even though it’s not their theme, reflects the truth of the most discriminated mindset that the majority white put upon the blacks. Martin Luther king and his famous speech in this movie that one day he dreamed of all blacks would be treated equally to the whites and they would be able to own their house with their own money without government’s discrimination was very impressive to me. Even though his dream is still far from reality at present, thanks to him, Rosa Parks and all civil right activists who had paved the way for a better life for those minority including women, other races and gays, we are actually living in much better condition than the 60s.

Dreamgirls is worth of its hype, and its song blew me away. I love every song of this movie in particular “Love you I Do”. They would be very happy if they knew that “One Night Only” dance mixed has become the gay anthem in the Bangkok night life. But I have to say I love the slow version that Jennifer Hudson sings better. And Dreamgirls will be a boon for all drag queens around the world, I can see it’s coming.

Tae Ati