Dreamgirls: The Backlash Has Begun
The new Dreamgirls movie seems to be riding high on a wave of bad publicity, and the film hasn't even opened yet!
First, Beyonce was awarded a highly undeserved Golden Globe nomination as Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for her role in the film, despite the fact that Jennifer Hudson - who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress - has a larger part in the movie.
Jennifer Holliday, who originated the role of Effie White, which Hudson plays in the film, won a Tony award for Best Actress back when the music first hit Broadway.
But, more shocking than that is the fact that Dreamgirls writer and director Bill Condon failed to get a Golden Globe nomination for writing or directing.
This does not bode well for the film, nor do the somewhat shiteous reviews trickling out.
A critic for USA Today just wrote this scathing review, saying: "Director Bill Condon does a fine job adapting the musical to the screen, and it's an enjoyable experience. It's just not as transcendent as you would hope. Dreamgirls falls short of a musical film like Chicago."
And, of Beyonce's performance, the USA Today critic says, "The weakest link is the stunning Knowles. The camera clearly loves her, and her singing is not in contention, but as an actress, she has a vapid quality. Despite the array of dazzling fashion ensembles, and the effort to channel Diana Ross, her performance remains one-note, particularly in contrast to Hudson's nuanced portrayal."
The New York Times echoes a similar sentiment, saying, "Ms. Knowles's performance has been static and detached. In her limited work in movies she has never seemed comfortable with acting, shying away from any emotional display that might compromise her steely, hieratic dignity. But when she sings, she is capable of warmth, vulnerability, even ferocity, all of which she demonstrates in Listen. You cannot help but obey the imperative of the song's title, even as you may wish the movie offered more that was worth listening to."
The review goes on to call the film "troubled" and "disappointing."
Sad.
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