Business…here’s something on the true sportsman of the year for 2006, Vince Young.
SSP…I’ll be on 610 Sports in Kansas City tonight with Matt Scott around 8 p.m. ET.
So I went with Moms and her friend to see “Dreamgirls” yesterday. Outstanding flick, I must say. I’m not the keenest on musicals, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. And not because Beyonce was in it. Looked good, but not great. At the very least, the mere sight of her wasn’t enough to justify the price of a ticket.
But two things were…
1. The Scene. If you know a lick about “Dreamgirls,” you know what I’m talking about–“And I Am Telling You.” The way I see it, the way this movie would be received would have more to do with this scene than anything else. It’s the defining moment of the play, the one that people like me–those who haven’t seen the original–know. We know the words, we know the context, and we know that Jennifer Holiday killed it. They had to get this scene right for us to even say that this movie was halfway decent, let alone good.
And Jennifer Hudson ripped it. Absolutely ripped it. Folks were clapping halfway thru. At the damn movies! I’m even hearing that, in some places, she received a standing ovation. Can’t knock ’em for it.
Put it like this–the scene was boss to the point where Jennifer Holiday doesn’t seem nearly as crazy for her concern as to whether anyone’s going to remember her since she didn’t get a cameo or anything in the movie. I’m not prepared to say that Hudson’s version was superior, but it is at least a peer to Holiday’s. So yeah, Holiday’s got a reason to worry that she’ll be bumped to the background by this movie. They took her scene and did it to death.
2. My man JR said it best–this was the call that Eddie Murphy had been waiting YEARS to get. There are times when I forget how incredibly talented he is, but this was a great reminder. He was great singing, he was great playing the role of a self-indulgent performer, and he was great playing a downtrodden performer from yesteryear. He was funny and poignant, showing range that we may have never seen from him and humor that we haven’t seen from him–short of being an animated voice–in a long, long time.
But here’s one for ya–Eddie Murphy is now 45 years old. Evaluating his career is tricky, to say the least. He did such amazing things when he was young that we couldn’t be anything but disappointed by his output for most of the ’90s. But when he’s dead and gone and we look back on the collection of work he put together, I think we’ll be better able to give Eddie his props. Maybe he should have done mroe, and maybe he should have had better taste in scripts. But I remember something Jamie Foxx said–basically, he could only perform the scripts that were offered to him.
And really, what else was there for a black man in Hollywood to do in the ’90s other than the stuff Eddie got stuck with? Did he get worse over time? Or had he just reached his ceiling before he turned 35? After his performance in “Dreamgirls,” I’m inclined to believe the ceiling was in full effect.
16 thoughts on “Dreamgirls”
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They had a screening at Paramount a few weeks ago and when I walked out all I could say about Jennifer Hudson was WOW! She definitely ripped it.
As for Eddie inside sources from someone at Paramount showed me extended scenes of the movie long before it came out (on the sneak) and they said that he is going to be considered for an Oscar. I scoffed at the fact until I saw the trailer and then thought once you have a big studio behind you pushing for it. It is definitely going to happen.
Why you say Beyonce didn’t look great? If I looked one-tenth as good as she did in some of those scenes, I’d head for Hollywood myself and be a waitress or maid to wait on my chance.
I thought everyone was super.
Eddie Murphy has only himself to blame for his fall from relevance.
It’s not a matter of bad taste in scripts. If you check out his interviews, he acknowledges that he does a lot of bad movies, but that he does it for the money. Mr Murphy is paid handsomely for his big budget garbage kid flicks and most people would do the same thing in his place. But there comes a point that ou have to branch out if you care about your craft and your legacy. Plus, it’s not like he’s hurting for money.
It’s also not a matter of a lack of options–he’s not Cuba Gooding. Ifhe weren’t concerned with being THE star and accepted smaller dramatic or actorly roles, his post-80s career would have been very different. DeNiro, for instance, took a small part in Jackie Brown, the only Tarantino film that’s not overrated. Since his heyday, the only roles of Eddie Murphy’s that were even remotely interesting were his parts as the nerd in Bowfinger and the prisoner in Life. These weren’t great movies, but the point is that he didn’t play the same old Eddie Murphy character in them, and he shared the screen with other actors.
Plus, I’m convinced that getting caught “giving a ride” to a transvestite hooker is a big reason why he only does family-friendly kids flicks now…I also think it killed any chance he had of ever doing stand up again.
I agree with your review. J. Hud killed it, and I’ll jump out there and say that I liked her version BETTER – perhaps because the expectations were so great.
I thought you’d mention the irony that this movie came out the day James Brown died. There were parts where I watched Eddie and just couldn’t help but to think about James. I also give Eddie mad props for dealing with this while going through a hard divorce – which he mentioned on Oprah.
I really LIKED Beyonce in such an understated role. She’s in our faces so much that I wanted a break.
Bo wrote:
And while the ink is still drying on the 2006 chapter of his story, it is clear that no one did more in the last 12 months than Vincent Paul Young Jr.
Reply:
OK, now I’m not hatin’ on a Texan here. Granted, he had an epic sports moment for the ages in the Rose Bowl, and a damn good rookie season. But, in the last 12 months, no one has had the year that Tiger and Roger have had. The fact that Roger was a distant third is mind boggling. In all fairness, I think Tiger and Roger should have shared the award this year. I mean, Federer “almost” pulled off the calendar Grand Slam (he lost in the French Finals–ALMOST). A feat only one other tennis player in history has done (“Rocket” Rod Laver). And, only five had ever won all four in their career. (Andre has, but not Pete, John, nor Jimmy.)
Vince does deserve mad pub for his year though! Yes sir…
You make mention also about his performance as a black QB in a national college stage as being the first… I think Tommie Frazier had the same type of performance against Florida in the title game of ’05/’06. Nebraska wouldn’t have won without him.
Anyway, I hear and believe in your argument, but can not put him above Woods or Federer.
My girlfriend has been hounding me to take her to Dreamgirls since her gal-pal movie crew are on vacation. Sigh… I guess your post convinced me. She’ll be sending you a “Thank You” card!
“The Scene”?
Denoument is the word I think you are looking for.
I agree, Eddie acted well. But his singing sounded too much like Eddie Murphy. It conjured up images of Donkey and the James Brown Celebrity Hot Tub Party.Beyonce ripped it up on her last song in the studio. It was good to see her show some range.Random thought: I wonder if the lead singer from The Campbell Connection grew up to have a little boy fetish
Is that anything like “Denouement”?
I wasn’t impressed with Beyonce’s deadpan acting, but Jennifer Hudson and Eddie Murphy nailed their roles! Both of them deserve Oscar nominations. I’m looking forward to the upcoming award shows.
Nikki, I am with you on Beyonce. I can’t believe they nominated her for Best Lead Actress. Gimme a Break. But don’t be surprised if she is accepting an Academy Award for her song Listen.
Since B is known for some dumb quotes, take this one about her performance in Dreamgirls…”it’s 40% acting and 60% singing.” WTF!
The director was on Fresh Air on NPR just before Christmas, and raves about Eddie, particularly the quality of his singing voice, and how they both agreed that they needed to avoid a “parody” of his James Brown parodies…interestingly enough, they shot the movie with Eddie using very subtle prostetics on his face…apparently, Murphy is more comfortable in “costume”, much like his roles in the Dr Doolittle movies, and his multiple personality roles in movies like “Harlem Nights”…
Dreamgirls was everything I expected and more importantly, everything people have made it out to be.
Beyonce even held her own, which is saying something, because she has drug down every movie she has been in (I cannot verify the Pink Panther, but i can imagine her rocking the deer in the headlights look just as she did in Austin Powers)
As for Ms. Hudson…As she accepts her Oscar for best supporting actress, my question to my FW will be:
Hm…wonder what she is going to play NEXT?
I honestly thought Dreamgirls hit on every possible ange BJ.
The supporting role Of Beyonce=you loved her, hated her, and loved her again.
The same can be said for Jaimee Fox but it was love-hate and really hate.
Eddie hasnt had a role like this in as far as i can remember. If he can atleast get nominated for supporting actor id be happy..
Then Theres Jennifer Hudson. Somewhere Ms. Holliday, is smiling from ear to ear. Her rendiiton of and im telling you sent chills. The movie theater i was in stood up and gave her a standing ovation. It goes without saying how good she was…
OK, why does Beyonce = Best Actress nomination and Jennifer Hudson = Best SUPPORTING Actress nomination? It was clearly reversed as Hudson was the entire movie’s focal point.
However, I must say that for the first time, I was actually impressed with Beyonce. That song she did in the studio near the end was the best I’ve ever heard her sing.
And Jennifer Hudson. Wow… I knew going in that her song was gonna kill vocally, but I had no idea just how emotional of a performance she was gonna give. Quite possibly the best performance of a song in a movie as I’ve ever seen. Exceeded my expectations.
OK, now that I’ve fulfilled my BF duties, I need to ask my GF for my balls back and watch some football tomorrow.
BTW Bo, close game with Texas. The Big 12 is not doing so well in the bowls this year. Hopefully OU won’t get into a tight game either.
Sorry, but the testosterone in me will not allow me to get dragged to see Dreamgirls. I’m not into remakes anyway, especially when I know what happens.
Call me when some network greenlights my spoof commercial for Samuel L. Jackson roach spray and Samuel L. Jackson rubbers.
Happy New Year people!!!!