Chicago Movie Review 2002

The first Oscar-winning musical since the 1970s celebrates the unlikely themes of murder, adultery and greed with winning results. Heroine Roxie Hart (Zellweger) in jail for offing her two-timing boyfriend, finally finds the fame she craved. Ditto for Zeta-Jones' Velma Kelly, who's also in stir for popping her old man. The hot-headed beauties share the same slick lawyer, Billy Flynn (Gere). Reilly is Zellweger's simpleton husband, the sole spot of earnestness in an otherwise cynical film. Deftly directed, with musical numbers done as fantasy segments. Zeta-Jones and Latifah are the ones with the pipes for the genre, while lesser singer/dancers Gere and Zellweger score with appealing performances. Big-screen version of the award-winning musical by John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Bob Fosse.

Distribution

Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521-1120, Toll-free: 800-723-4763, URL: http://www.bvhe.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 113 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Adapted from a Musical, Chicago, Period Piece: 1920s, Law & Lawyers, Showbiz Musicals, Women in Prison, Homicide, Adultery, Top Grossing Films of 2003

Screenplay

Bill Condon

Cast

Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, Christine Baranski, Lucy Liu, Taye Diggs, Colm Feore, Dominic West

Cinematography

Dion Beebe

Director

Rob Marshall

Music

Danny Elfman, John Kander, Fred Ebb

Other

David Lee, Martin Walsh, Andrew Stearn, Colleen Atwood, John Myhre

Producer

Martin Richards, Producer Circle Co., Miramax Films

Awards

Oscars 2002: Art Dir./Set Dec., Costume Des., Film, Film Editing, Sound, Support. Actress (Zeta-Jones); British Acad. 2002: Support. Actress (Zeta-Jones); British Acad. 2003: Sound; Directors Guild 2002: Director (Marshall); Golden Globes 2003: Actor--Mus./Comedy (Gere), Actress--Mus./Comedy (Zellweger), Film--Mus./Comedy; Screen Actors Guild 2002: Actress (Zellweger), Support. Actress (Zeta-Jones), Cast.