By now, every person with even a passing interest in pop culture knows former American Idol contestant Jennifer Hudson (left) has won almost universal critical Read the full post.
Jan 2
2007
11:00 AM ET
Reviewing the Reviews: 'Dreamgirls'
- Comments 87
- Add comment
Latest News
- 'Celeb Apprentice': Mr. Trump has hired...
- 'SNL': Kristen Wiig's last time
- 'Avengers' is No. 1 movie again: $55.1M
- Robin Gibb, Bee Gees singer, dies at 62
- Robin Gibb remembered: 11 songs
- Will Smith: 'Fresh Prince' rap on U.K. TV
- 'Idol,' 'DWTS' finales: The week ahead
- 'Community' boss Dan Harmon: 'I got fired'
Most Commented
Top 5 Most Read
- ‘Celebrity Apprentice’: And the winner is…
- ‘Game of Thrones’: Blackwater battle has ‘dramatically exceeded our expectations’ — EXCLUSIVE
- ‘Saturday Night Live’ recap: Jagger rocks out, and Kristen Wiig bids farewell
- 'Game of Thrones' recap: Return of the Kingslayer
- 'The Celebrity Apprentice' season finale recap: Racing To The Finish
Beyonce Knowles has said that the director and others told her to pull back on her vocals until she was almost whispering. The remark seemed kind of defensive, as if she was saying she could have blown everyone else away, but others held her back. I think that comment says something about where her head is at as an actor. Actors do what is called for in the role, whether it’s belting out every song or holding back, because the important thing is to get the character right, i.e. Jamie Foxx as the super cool snake. Deena is supposed to be a pop star whose own mother didn’t think she had a lead singer’s voice. “Listen” is a bonus for Beyonce. Dreamgirls was designed in many ways to be a showcase for whoever got to play Effie, not the actor with the highest billing. Effie is supposed to have the biggest, most soulful voice in the group. (I wanted to hear Ain’t no Party, too.) The movie is not Broadway 1970s, but it is great Hollywood 2007!
I have yet to see Beyonce Knowles as an actor. Practically every role she has had with the exception of Foxy Cleopatra has been a singer. I doubt that she will win a Golden Globe let alone an Oscar for her acting or her singing. If she wants to be taken seriously, perhaps she needs to stop taking acting roles where she plays a singer. The movie Dreamgirls on the other hand is just over hyped.
I finally saw Dreamgirls and it left me with goosebumps! Initially, due to all of the media hype it was getting I was hesitant about going to see it but I was satisfied!…As for Beyonce and getting a Golden Globe I think it was all politics. Beyonce has a wonderful publicity crew because she is OVERRATED and this movie spoke that truth. I felt as though her parents had a way in squeezing that last poor attempt for some shine in that “Listen” scene. I would nominate the actor that played CiCi for an Oscar before Beyonce’s watered down performance. I guess all the buzz she tried to give her role in Dreamgirls left her saying “Open mouth, insert foot.”
I usually NEVER comment in online chats, but in this case, I have to add my two cents: Dreamgirls is a VERY GOOD movie – not GREAT, but very good. Jennifer H. for a 1st timer, was fabulous! Beyonce still has major growing to do as an actress. Does she deserve a Best Actress Oscar? Absolutely NOT. I don’t even think she’ll get the nomination. But Best Wishes to Jennifer, Eddie, Listen and hopefully Jamie Fox as well for nominations and wins!
Beyonce is a beautiful young woman, who certainly can sing. As far as acting – she shouldn’t quit her day job just yet!
Beyonce needs to do a non singing role to be considered an actress. She’s sung so far in everything she’s done. I was a huge fan of hers but lately she’s everywhere….overrated & overexposed
I’ve seen the movie… and to be honest i just had a higher expection for it. Don’t get me wrong it was good but it was not GREAT as everyone made it out to be.As far as im concerned none of them deserve any nominations of any kind. The Oscar is a trophy awarded to a person who is the best among the best when it comes to acting and come on…jennifer hudson? This is her first movie and all shes doing is what she normally does in her daily life. SINGING.theres no doubt that she has an amazing voice but i would like to see her (and beyonce) in a film that does not involve singing. That way their acting abilities won’t be over shadowed by their singing and we can finally critic them and see if they are indeed desrvent of a gold trophy. I think that there are plenty more actresses in Hollywood who deserve the oscar and golden globe more(like Cate Blanchett).everybody just got caught up with Jennifer’s singing and powerful voice and i believe that deserves a grammy NOT an oscar.
Jennifer Hudson killed the movie, and u can not help but to agree with the critics on that one. Everyone knows that Eddie Murphy can act as well as Jamie Foxx, the hilarious one to me was Anika Nonie Rose, dude she was so giddy, she had me cryin, Beyonce did better in this movie than all of her others but I still dont think this part was right for her, like when the Mom said “she really never thought her daughter had much of a voice”, I was like please listen to her, Half of the movie I was trying to stop myself from comparing Effie and Deenas vocals to each other, it just wasn’t believable, Beyonce sang to well in the movie, i mean Effie was cold but there is not that much power in the world to prevent Beyonces true voice from shining through, when in the movie she is only supposed to be a mediocre singer, and why did they even let Jamie sing, everytime Eddie sang I was wishing it was Jamie. I will tell you this if Aaliyah was still alive in the flesh she would have killed B’s role
I think Beyonce’s problem in “Dreamgirls” is exactly the same one she has in the “Irreplaceable” video. She mistakes vulnerability for weakness, because she assumes that puts her in a negative, submissive light. But in “Irreplaceable,” for example, she is already throwing her lover out the door. Where are the scenes of regret or disappointment that are evident in her voice? In “Dreamgirls” she never lets us behind the veneer and it makes her performance leaden.
Golden Globes….First and most importantly, let me say that Jennifer Hudson’s performance was amazing and the awards are well deserved. It was appropriate and good of her to mention Florence Ballard. I was fortunate enough to see Jennifer Holliday’s legenday performance more than once on Broadway. My only issue is that she takes credit in her acceptance speech for creating the character Effie. Ms Holliday forged that role and deserves a little more credit. Let’s hope Ms. Hudson doesn’t fall prey to the “life imitating art” Diva pitfall like her predecessor.
YES VICKY I AGREE WITH YA…I AM SO
SICK OF BEYONCE. SHE IS NOTHING BUT
WEAVE. CANT SHE JUST USE WHAT GOD GAVE
HER…TOO MUCH FAKE HAIR..DID NOT LIKE
THE MOVIE THAT MUCH.
I really wonder why iconic Danny Glover is rarely mentioned when Dream Girls is being discussed. I am very dissapointed about this.
I am shocked that Bill Condon and the film itself was snubbed for an Oscar nomination. He put his heart and soul into this very entertaining film. BTW – Danny Glover is in the “autumn” of his career. His role was also on the small side although I did enjoy him.