Film Snail

6.7

Dreamgirls

PG-13·2006·130m

Drama

Music

Drama

Music

Summary

A trio of female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s, facing their own personal struggles along the way.

Cast

Jamie Foxx

Curtis Taylor Jr.

Beyoncé

Deena Jones

Eddie Murphy

James "Thunder" Early

Danny Glover

Marty Madison

Jennifer Hudson

Effie White

Anika Noni Rose

Lorrell Robinson

Keith D. Robinson

C.C. White

Sharon Leal

Michelle Morris

Hinton Battle

Wayne

Mariah Iman Wilson

Magic

Yvette Cason

May

Ken Page

Max Washington

Ralph Louis Harris

M.C.

Michael-Leon Wooley

Tiny Joe Dixon

Loretta Devine

Jazz Singer

John Lithgow

Jerry Harris

John Krasinski

Sam Walsh

Alexander Folk

Ronald White

Esther Scott

Aunt Ethel

Bobby Slayton

Miami Comic

Jordan Wright

Teddy Campbell

Dawnn Lewis

Melba Early

Jaleel White

Talent Booker

JoNell Kennedy

Joann

Sybyl Walker

Charlene

Lesley Nicole Lewis

Stepp Sister

Eboni Nichols

Stepp Sister

Arike Rice

Stepp Sister

Fatima Robinson

Stepp Sister

Aakomon Jones

Little Albert

Bernard Fowler

Tru-Tone

Anwar Burton

Tru-Tone

Tyrell Washington

Tru-Tone

Rory O'Malley

Dave

Laura Bell Bundy

Sweetheart

Anne Elizabeth Warren

Sweetheart

Ivar Brogger

David Bennett

Daren A. Herbert

Jimmy's Piano Player

Jocko Sims

Elvis Kelly

Pam Trotter

Rhonda

Cleo King

Janice

Eddie Mekka

Club Manager

Alejandro Furth

Case Worker

Dilva Henry

TV Reporter

Vince Grant

American Bandstand Producer

Robert Cicchini

Nicky Cassaro

Thomas Crawford

TV Director

Charles Jones

Carl

Robert Curtis Brown

Technical Director

Stephanie Owens

Tania Williams

Gilbert Glenn Brown

Man with Gun

Marty Ryan

Stagehand

Michael Villani

Detroit Reporter

Gregg Berger

Chicago Deejay

Daniel Riordan

L.A. Deejay

David James

Photographer

Paul Kirby

Promo Film Narrator (voice)

Derick Alexander

Security Guard

Yvette Nicole Brown

Curtis' Secretary

Nancy Anderson

Go-Go Dancer

Joelle Cosentino

Go-Go Dancer

Lisa Eaton

Go-Go Dancer

Clare Kutsko

Go-Go Dancer

Tracy Phillips

Go-Go Dancer

Kelleia Sheerin

Go-Go Dancer

Mykel Brooks

Campbell Connection Dancer

Johnny Erasme

Campbell Connection Dancer

Cory Graves

Campbell Connection Dancer

J.R. Taylor

Campbell Connection Dancer

Corinthea Henderson

Bad Side Dancer

Craig Hollamon

Bad Side Dancer

Reginald Jackson

Bad Side Dancer

Chuck Maldonado

Bad Side Dancer

Anthony Rue II

Bad Side Dancer

John Silver

Bad Side Dancer

Larry Sims

Bad Side Dancer

Black Thomas

Bad Side Dancer

Kevin Wilson

Bad Side Dancer

Adrian Wiltshire

Bad Side Dancer

Earl Wright

Bad Side Dancer

Russell "Goofy" Wright

Bad Side Dancer

Dominic Chaiduang

Disco Dancer

Jose Cueva

Disco Dancer

Omhmar Griffin

Disco Dancer

Sky Hoffmann

Disco Dancer

Trevor Lopez-Daggett

Disco Dancer

Leo Moctezuma

Disco Dancer

Gabriel Paige

Disco Dancer

Terrance Spencer

Disco Dancer

Tony Testa

Disco Dancer

Quinton Weathers

Disco Dancer

Jull Weber

Disco Dancer

Marcel Wilson

Disco Dancer

Stevie Ray Anthony

Jimmy's Band

Matthew Dickens

Jimmy's Band

Jerohn Garnett

Jimmy's Band

Mario Mosley

Jimmy's Band

Jimmy R.O. Smith

Jimmy's Band

Tank

Choir Singer

Crew

Director, Screenplay

Bill Condon

Musical

Tom Eyen

Reviews

Geronimo1967

October 21, 2022

Jennifer Hudson is simply superb in this musical roller-coaster of a film. She is "Effie" whom, along with "Deena" (Beyoncé Knowles) and "Lorrell" (Anika Noni Rose), form a trio of singers aspiring to fame and fortune. Along the way, they encounter the usual suite of difficulties - bigotry, racism and misogyny as well as having to deal with their own personal rivalries. They are signed by Detroit used car salesman "Curtis" (Jamie Foxx) to back his established, womanising, star "James Early" (Eddie Murphy) and soon their star seems fixed. That is, until "Curtis" decides to dispense with the services of the temperamental "Effie" and with those of "Early" as he sees his vision for these talented and enigmatic women really take off. At times, it does stray a little too close to domestic melodrama, but for the most part this is a cracking story of how these women prove their own mettle. They regale against the male-dominated music business; increasingly try to assert themselves not just in the industry but with their management but, towards the end, with there own personal relationships before a powerful and vindicating denouement. Henry Kriegen and Tom Eyon have written some strong and powerful lyrics for the ladies to belt out with aplomb, particularly the title song, "It's All Over" and the show stopping "One Night Only". The production detail, photography and general pace of the film really do make for an an engaging watch; the performances are vibrant and frequently the emotion they generate is compelling to watch. Foxx is not the best, to be fair - especially when he bursts into song, but Murphy fares a bit better on that front and all told, this is an entertaining look at just how these women took on and defeated a system and a society that was stacked against them from the start. Parallels with Motown?