Well-deserving of its three Golden Globes for best motion picture/musical, best performance by an actor in a motion picture/musical (Richard Gere), and best performance by an actress in a motion picture/musical (Renee Zellweger), “Chicago” is an electrifying production full of energy, song and dance.
An adaptation of Bob Fosse’s 1975 Broadway musical, “Chicago” is a story of sex, murder, deceit and “all that jazz.” The lead character, Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger), is an angel-faced girl of the ’20’s who shoots the man she is having an affair with and ends up on Murderess Row. There, she meets her idol, vaudeville star Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), as well as Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), a well-known lawyer who turns Roxie into a tabloid superstar in order to keep his perfect record in the courtroom and keep her from being hanged.
Full of non-stop action, “Chicago” is not your typical musical. Unlike those that consist of a group of people predictably bursting into song and somehow knowing all the words and accompanying choreography, “Chicago” uses its song and dance numbers to supplement the plot of the movie. These numbers are neither annoying nor dull, but full of color, spice and “razzle-dazzle.”
This film glorifies girl power in a most unconventional way- celebrating women who will do anything to break free of the conformity inflicted by men, even if it means murder. One number tells the individual stories of some of the women on Murderess Row and how- and more importantly- why they killed their husbands.
Queen Latifah gives a spectacular performance as “Mama,” the woman who “takes care” of the girls on the Row- for a price. Voluptuous and saucy, her solo performance exudes self-confidence and pride to be a woman. Singer Mya and actress Lucy Lui, also, have small roles as women with big attitudes.
Overall, “Chicago” is a must-see. An entirely entertaining cabaret show, this film exaggerates the roles the press played in the courtroom, and pokes fun at how easily we eat up sensationalized news. Catchy songs and amazing dance choreography, including a tap-dance number by Gere, help take the Broadway version of “Chicago” to the big screen.
