Chicago
"Two Thumbs Up!" -Ebert & Roeper
Winner of six Academy Awards (2002) including Best Picture and starring sexy Renee Zellweger (Bridget Jones's Diary), Best Supporting Actress winner Catherine Zeta-Jones (Traffic), Best Supporting Actress nominee Queen Latifah (Bringing Down the House) and Golden Globe winner Richard Gere (Unfaithful)-Chicago is a dazzling spectacle cheered by audiences and critics alike! At a time when crimes of passion result in celebrity headlines, nightclub sensation Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones) and spotlight-seeking Roxie Hart (Zellweger) both find themselves sharing space on Chicago's famed Murderess Row! They also share Billy Flynn (Gere), the town’s slickest lawyer with a talent for turning notorious defendants into local legends. But in Chicago, there's only room for one legend! Also starring John C. Reilly (Gangs of New York) and Lucy Liu (Charlie's Angels).
Member Reviews
Every thing a musical can be and more... - Jweisfeld22
Chicago takes every thing that makes a musical great and adds everything you couldn't do on the stage. The result is a beautifully directed, beautifully shot, beautifully put together, well acted triumph. As well made as the film is it has it's flaws, the musical numbers are the most exhilarating, enjoyable parts of the movie but the drama and the musicless parts seem to only be there to give you a break between songs, and they never bring you enough emotion or depth. Besides a great sad performance from john c reilly as a two timed husband willing to do anything for his wife the rest of the characters or all terrible people and it's hard to feel anything for any of them. Overall a great film, I just wish it payed a little more attention to the musicless parts.Fun, Funny And Sexy - revsdd
"Chicago" was in many ways the revival of the Hollywood musical, and it's no wonder this was so successful, and that it reinvigorated a genre. It's a great movie, just plain fun to sit down with and watch. I have to also say that while I was always impressed with Renee Zellweger as an actress, after her performance in "Chicago" I also became quite smitten with her! Zellweger was quite lovely (and showed her acting, singing and dancing talents) in her portrayal of Roxie Hart, a wannabe jazz club singer in 1920's Chicago who kills her lover and then has to make herself an object of sympathy to escape the gallows. Her female co-star (and equal in terms of talent) was the more mature but equally lovely Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly, another singer/killer, who Roxie meets up with in jail. Richard Gere put on a stunning performance as their attorney Billy Flynn. Rounding out the cast, there were very solid supporting performances from Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly and Catharine Baranski. Zellweger and Jones play off each other brilliantly, as does Gere with both. Latifah's performance as prison Matron Mamma Morton was also very good, and, I thought, somewhat sexually suggestive in her interplay with the female prisoners under her charge - think of lines like "you do me a favour and I'll do you a favour." I know she was specifically asking for financial favours, but given the inherent (but always innocent) sexuality of the movie, one wonders if there wasn't a bit of a double entendre to the line.
Latifah's character was one of the few problem areas in the movie for me, mind you: it was hard to accept that a black woman would become the head of a women's prison in the 1920's. The story at times had a bit of an awkward flow because of the repeated musical numbers and some of those musical numbers were perhaps a bit too long, making the movie itself perhaps a wee bit long. Still, those are merely minor criticisms of a great movieMusical Triumph - Radio_Jane
I am so glad to see that musicals are returning to film. This one, although much more gritty and dark is stylistically a lot like the great musicals of the 1940's. All comers give such wonderful performances, especially Richard Gere, who after a string of dumb pictures I had begun to lose faith in. I love the story line and the songs are awesome. This movie deserved all the academy awards it won and is destined to be a classic
Member Reviews
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Every thing a musical can be and more... - Jweisfeld22
Chicago takes every thing that makes a musical great and adds everything you couldn't do on the stage. The result is a beautifully directed, beautifully shot, beautifully put together, well acted triumph. As well made as the film is it has it's flaws, the ...Fun, Funny And Sexy - revsdd
"Chicago" was in many ways the revival of the Hollywood musical, and it's no wonder this was so successful, and that it reinvigorated a genre. It's a great movie, just plain fun to sit down with and watch. I have to also say that while I was always impressed ...Musical Triumph - Radio_Jane
I am so glad to see that musicals are returning to film. This one, although much more gritty and dark is stylistically a lot like the great musicals of the 1940's. All comers give such wonderful performances, especially Richard Gere, who after a string of ...