MOVIE - CHICAGO - REVIEW RATING - $$$$$ $$$$ (OUT OF 10)
STARRING - Renee Zellweger (Roxie Hart), Catherine Zeta-Jones (Velma Kelly), Richard Gere (Billy Flynn), Christine Baranski (Mary Sunshine), Queen Latifah (Mama Morton), & John C. Reilly (Amos Hart).
DIRECTED BY - Rob Marshall Best Directorial Debut (2002 National Board of Review)
CHICAGO, the movie, is an adaptation of the Bob Fosse Broadway Musical which itself is an adaptation of the 1926 dramatic play written by a Chicago Tribune reporter, Maurine Dallas Watkins. It was also previously a movie starring Ginger Rogers in the 1942 film "Roxie Hart"
Roxie Hart, an aspiring starlet with dreams of Vaudevillian fame, in the 1920's, is charged with murder and basks in her subsequent 15 minutes of fame.
WOW!!...a brilliantly conceived and executed musical that doesn't miss a beat. If you liked Moulin Rouge (which I thought was Shakespeare in Love on steroids) you haven't seen nothing yet till you see Chicago. The pace is frantic and Chicago will have you tapping your feet in unison with the musical score. Chicago is one of the few films that I have ever watched that had me smiling bemusedly throughout. Trust me, when I say, I don't smile alot.
The previews don't do this movie justice. While Miramax must be credited for continuing to produce films, of this quality, their marketing department leaves something to be desired. The web site is anemic as well (though fancy movie web sites are not synonymous with quality movies). If you considered not going to Chicago, based on the previews, that would be a mistake.
Chicago is told from the perspective of Roxie Hart. The song and dance numbers are presented as her star-crossed delusional interpretation of the situation she finds herself in. If she wants to be a star then so must everyone around her.
Those song and dance numbers make up the majority of the movie's dialogue/narrative. Unlike Moulin Rouge, where they often repeated half verses of the same Elton John song, the accompanying lyrics are entirely original. These numbers, in the Bob Fosse tradition (All That Jazz), are vibrant and energetic. The only one that isn't, is the one involving Roxie's estranged husband, but that is by necessity. The only number that dragged on a bit too long involved Roxie's fellow jailbirds. We are introduced to six of her female companions. Three of them we essentially don't meet again and didn't really need to meet to begin with.
The performances are outstanding as well. Rene Zellweger (Bridget Jone's Diary) once again demonstrates that she shouldn't be underestimated. She is truly a star for the ages. She brings pep and ferocity to her portrayal of Roxie Hart. You become enchanted by her zest, moxie and talent. Not bad considering she's portraying an otherwise pretty despicable character. In fact, without telling you the outcome, outside the theater I overheard a movie goer wishing the outcome for Roxie had been much different. You know the true essence of a fictional character has been amply conveyed when it generates that type of response.
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere dazzle in their respective roles as well. It was refreshing to see Gere play a less saintly figure and sing and dance as well. Queen Latifa joins in on the fun, breathing life into her character Mama Morton, the jail house matron. Lastly, but not to be overlooked, is another excellent supporting performance by John C. Rielly (Gangs of New York & The Good Girl). He is quietly and skillfully creating a niche for himself as the leading "character" actor of his generation.
To top this all off, the story reverberates with relevancy as it cynically, yet playfully, mocks our celebrity centered cultured. Apparently, not much has changed since the 1920's, when this story was first penned.
Chicago may not revive the movie musical genre, all by itself, but it exemplifies what a movie musical should be. Like I said, at the beginning of this review, Chicago = WOW!!
Alternative Reviews:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert1/wkp-news-chicago27f.html
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Chicago-1119031/
Official Website:
http://www.miramax.com/chicago/
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3:45:07 AM 
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