Soundtrack reviewed by Glenn Gaslin Movie starring Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Akina Noni Rose, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover. Directed by Bill Condon. Soundtrack produced by Harvey Mason Jr. and Damon Thomas. Soundtrack released by Columbia Records. Among the many reasons to groove on Condon's new Chicago-esque adaptation of the Tony-gobbling '80s Broadway musical, is hearing Eddie Murphy sing for the first time in two decades. Higher up on the list would be pop powerhouse Beyoncé belting out ballads as the ringleader of a fictional '60s all-girls group, notoriously based on Diana Ross & the Supremes. She, Foxx and American Idol also-ran Hudson breathe new noise into the stage show's classics (any fan will need to hear Hudson nail "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going") as well as four new songs, including the swelling "Listen." This may not be exactly "You Can't Hurry Love," but maybe it's better: a bit of '60s Motown filtered through Broadway, then wrung through a 21st century hit machine by hot aughties pop and hip-hop producers The Underdogs. Hey, and Murphy's singing ain't even half bad. |
