I am not a fan of most movie musicals. I hate "The Sound of Music," "West Side Story," "The King and I"...anything along those lines. I can't stand it when people are talking and suddenly burst out into song. Musicals are usually melodramatic, predictable, formulaic. "Chicago" comes as a breath of fresh air in this genre. It is innovative, clever, and dazzling. The dramatic scenes, dance numbers, and songs are brilliantly interwoven unlike any musical I've ever seen.
It is a rarity that musicals have Hollywood actors who can act, sing, and dance. Here, the cast pulls it off. Renee Zellweger should become a major star after her role as Roxie Hart, the murdering adultress. She goes through a striking transformation from naivete to opportunism, fueled by a fierce desire for stardom. Killing her lover turns out to be the greatest possible career move. Zellweger completely lights up the screen. As does Catherine Zeta-Jones, who plays Velma, Roxie's mentor/rival. The power struggle between these two women drives the film.
When Roxie is brought to "Murderer's Row" we learn that women killing their lovers is commonplace at this time. The best musical number in the film is "He Had it Comin'," where the women all sing about the reason they killed their man (i.e. one was because of the man's constant gum-chewing). Rebellion and female empowerment are at work here, the women have been pushed into their societal roles and they feel the need to break free.
The film also deals with the public's obsession with the combination of crime and fame and its effect on the justice system. Roxie becomes famous through committing the crime and being represented by flashy, cocky lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere). Her innocent face wins everyone over, including the judge and jury. Everyone knows that she killed the man, it's that they can't see her doing it-- she seems so sweet. Roxie gains her innocence through Billy Flynn's compelling, confident words and from pandering to the media. The public doesn't care about justice being served, they want to be entertained.
Director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon deserve remarkable praise for this update. The script is uncharacteristically strong and clever for this genre. What sets "Chicago" apart from its kind is that most of the musical numbers are fantasies going on in a character's head. In some sequences, the fantasy number and reality are cross-cut to build tension. This technique to enhance both the drama and irony is very successful, and it helps solidify this film as an original.
posted: January 13, 2003 at 07:06 PM
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