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Chicago (2002)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:206
Fresh:180
Rotten:26
Average Rating:7.9/10
Consensus: A rousing and energetic adaptation of the Broadway musical that'll have you tapping your feet.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for sexual content and dialogue, violence and thematic elements
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Genre: Dramas
Theatrical Release:Dec 27, 2002 Limited
Box Office: $170,617,614
Synopsis: Everyone loves a legend, but in Chicago, there’s only room for one. Velma Kelley (CATHERINE ZETA-JONES) burns in the spotlight as a nightclub sensation. When she shoots her philandering husband,... Everyone loves a legend, but in Chicago, there’s only room for one. Velma Kelley (CATHERINE ZETA-JONES) burns in the spotlight as a nightclub sensation. When she shoots her philandering husband, she lands on Chicago’s famed murderess row, retains Chicago’s slickest lawyer, Billy Flynn (RICHARD GERE), and is the center of the town’s most notorious murder case, only increasing her celebrity. Roxie Hart (RENÉE ZELLWEGER), seduced by the city’s promise of style and adventure, dreams of singing and dancing her way to stardom. When Roxie’s abusive lover tries to walk out on her, she too ends up in prison. Billy recognizes a made-for-tabloids story, and postpones Velma’s court date to take on Roxie’s case. Infamy is Roxie’s ticket to stardom. Billy turns her crime of passion into celebrity headlines, and in this town, where murder is a form of entertainment, she becomes a bona fide star – much to Velma’s chagrin. As Roxie fashions herself as America’s sweetheart, Velma has more than a few surprises in store, and the two women stop at nothing to outdo each other in their obsessive pursuit of fame and celebrity. A new interpretation that takes the award-winning Broadway show into fresh and expansive cinematic realms, CHICAGO shifts adroitly from the reality of intrigue, rivalry and betrayal to spectacular fantasies of music and dance, offering tongue-in-cheek commentary on the cult of celebrity and the scandalous lengths to which people will go to attain it. -- © 2002 Miramax Films [More]
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, Christine Baranski, Lucy Liu, Taye Diggs, Colm Feore, Dominic West, Chita Rivera
Director: Rob Marshall
Director: Rob Marshall
Screenwriter: Bill Condon
Producer: Martin Richards
Composer: John Kander
Studio: Miramax Films
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Reviews for Chicago
Here, finally, is a movie musical made by people who know what they're doing.
Each musical number builds to such a frantic climax that the audience is nearly moved to applaud the actors on screen.
A shallow work without a true moral framework, it sees the world as a posturing showbusiness arena, a stage for celebrities to briefly strut their stuff and go on their way.
his Oscar-laden movie rendition, directed by Rob Marshall, suffers from the kind of ants-in-your-pants MTV editing that prevents you from simply watching and enjoying the musical numbers.
Choreographer Rob Marshall makes his feature debut, toning town the Fosse-ness and keeping things snappy.
a wildly cynical and sardonic piece, yet hysterical in its own right - about as unlike Seven Brides for Seven Brothers as you can get
I really enjoyed Chicago during its theatrical run, and now that I've seen it twice more on DVD, the thing's fast becoming a personal favorite.
The energy of the performances and John Kander and Fred Ebb's enduring score push the musical scenes and the entire film over any hurdle -- yes, even including that misbegotten casting of Gere.
Chicago has been brought to the screen by first-time movie director Rob Marshall, who has shot it like one of those commercials for Broadway musicals, the ones that run on the late news in New York City.
Chicago does not explore an issue. It just shows us the problem. It's a pretty song about dry rot. It's a can-can about cancer.
The audience in my theater cheered and hollered after each show stopper.
This is a funny, entertaining, scintillating 113 minutes that everyone should enjoy.
Chicago isn’t a great musical, but in an era when the filmed art form has all but died out, a musical that doesn’t look like a music video is a welcome sight.
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