Murphy’s outrageous showmanship was never more evident than with the film adaptation of Dreamgirls, bringing R&B/soul singer Jimmy “Thunder” Early to life with the electricity of a power plant and the relentlessness of a fast-moving shark.

| Jul 8, 2024

Disconnect yourself from the story, which follows the basic rise-and-fall lifeline of every musician biopic ever, and you’ll at least be able to enjoy several good songs and a [good] performance by Eddie Murphy.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Mar 8, 2024

There is a blast of true soul power in Eddie Murphy’s performance as a James Brown type.

| Aug 22, 2022

It has taken 25 years for Michael Bennett's Dreamgirls to go from Broadway to the big screen. The delay can be forgiven, however, because the film rocks on all levels.

| May 19, 2020

Very much rooted in its disco-era decadence, but it is always fiercely, vibrantly fresh

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jun 6, 2019

Neither thought-provoking nor entertaining enough - remains largely average and underwhelming.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Jan 24, 2019

While Dreamgirls has many fantastic attributes -- brilliant musical numbers, top performances, and some amazing camerawork and editing -- it doesn't quite gel, ensuring that this musical never moves from being a good film to a supreme one.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 3, 2018

This film could earn eight Oscar nominations. It's so much fun. Let's go see a movie where you smile, and cheer ... and tap your feet a little, too.

| Jan 5, 2018

The energy is so high in sequences like this -- and there are lots of them -- that it almost doesn't matter that we've seen this story before, in Ray and other film biographies about the "heartbreak" of musical stardom.

| Jul 6, 2010

Condon's adaptation is polished and enjoyable and yet something is missing from making it a truly great musical movie--perhaps a more coherent vision or unity.

| Original Score: B+ | Jan 6, 2010

A musical for people who've forgotten how to listen, and how to feel

| Aug 28, 2009

A tight and entertaining musical with a show stealing performance by Jennifer Hudson.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 29, 2009

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 20, 2008

Dreamgirls opened on Xmas day and it was every much of a brilliant holiday movie. I guess the only complaint I have is it is too slick.

| Original Score: A- | Jul 22, 2007

There's a joy on screen -- a love for the material that's palpable and contagious -- but the material, in the end, lets them down.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jul 14, 2007

...Hudson offers up a seriously underwhelming performance...

| Original Score: 1/4 | Jul 14, 2007

Worse than a movie of the weak (pun intended)

| Original Score: 36/100 | May 19, 2007

You may not be expecting this from a musical, but Dreamgirls is one of the most fast-paced, frenetically-edited, roller-coaster rides of a movie that you'll see all year.

Full Review | Mar 24, 2007

Dreamgirls is a splashy film with a great cast, strong performances, terrific music and an engrossing, though...familiar, story.

| Mar 12, 2007

There's no faint-praise here. It's the best film of the year.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Mar 7, 2007