Believe it or not, there was once a time when the movie musical was one of the most popular film genres. During the 1960s alone, four of the 10 best picture Oscars went to musicals.
But since the ’60s, the grandiose musical has rarely created a stir among mainstream audiences (“Cabaret” being one of the few exceptions), and it seemed as though this genre would join the Western in the cinematic cemetery.
The overrated, overhyped “Moulin Rouge!” changed all that. Musicals may be on the verge of a revolution, and they’re coming back with a bang — literally. During the first few minutes of “Chicago,” rookie director Rob Marshall’s attempt at the revival of the musical, there’s already been a murder.
Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) is a wannabe Vaudeville star doing whatever she can to further her career, which includes having an affair with Fred Casely (Dominic West of “28 Days”), a man who says he’s got connections in the industry. Of course, lying to her — he’s just an average Joe who was trying to score a date — led to his demise by Roxie’s hand.
Coincidentally, Roxie’s idol, Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), has also been sent to the slammer on murder charges (she caught her sister and husband having an affair), but being a star has its perks. Kelly is still treated like royalty and is sure to get away with the crimes thanks to hot-shot lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere).
From there, a battle begins between the two jailbirds, both vying for Flynn’s attention and the subsequent fame that goes with it.
And, oh yeah, they sing a little too.
Oddly enough, Marshall’s casting choices feature few singers who can act, opting instead for actors who can sing, although not always with the best success. And in a movie like this, one bad song could ruin the entire picture.
Luckily, the women don’t seem to have any problem with this. Right from the start, Zeta-Jones sets the standard with “All that Jazz,” the show’s most famous song. She belts out every lyric with gusto, relying on her background as a Welsh pop singer.
And despite her horrific rendition of “Without You” in “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” Zellweger manages to keep with Zeta-Jones, hitting her high point with the sparkly fantasy “Roxie.”
The men, on the other hand, struggle with their songs. Neither Gere nor John C. Reilly (he plays Amos, Roxie’s supportive, but dim, husband) completely bomb their songs — “Razzle Dazzle” and “Mr. Cellophane” respectively — but neither shine.
The real solo shine, though, belongs to one of the supporting actors — and also the only real singer in the cast. Queen Latifah earns her Golden Globe nod — one of the eight earned by the film — by owning “When You’re Good to Mama,” a song that could easily flop as a wannabe sultry song that’s not the least bit sexy.
The other song of note is “Cell Block Tango,” a song sung by a chorus of six women killers singing stories about their deeds and the men “who had it coming.” Perhaps what makes this song stand out is the variety in it, since each woman has a different style and sound, ranging from Velma’s deep sound and sultry moves to one of her cellmates’ sweet innocence and beautiful ballet choreography.
Anyone who isn’t a fan of musicals in the theater may be advised to stay away from this one, as it is almost entirely about the performance numbers. Rarely are there times when the characters have deep conversations, opting instead to sing all of their frustrations.
But for those who have memorized the words to “Rent’s” big song “Seasons of Love” and musical fans like them, this may be just the film to revitalize a once dead genre.
