Chicago (2002)

• Year: 2002
• Released: 24 Jan 2003
• Country: United States, Germany, Canada, United Kingdom
• Adwords: Won 6 Oscars. 57 wins & 129 nominations total
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299658/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/Chicago
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/chicago
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: English, Hungarian
• MPA Rating: PG-13
• Genre: Comedy, Crime, Musical
• Runtime: 113 min
• Writer: Bill Condon, Bob Fosse, Fred Ebb
• Director: Rob Marshall
• Cast: Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere
• Keywords: musical, based on play or musical, lawyer, chicago, illinois, 1920s,

	7.2/10
	81/100
	86% – Critics
	83% – Audience

Chicago Storyline

Fame hungry Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger) dreams of a life on the Vaudville stage, and spends her nights jazzing it up in the bright lights of Chicago, continually hoping that she’ll find her lucky break, and be shot into 1920’s stardom, so able to flee her boring husband Amos (John C. Reilly). In awe of seductive club singer Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) (who is subsequantly arrested for the murder of her husband and sister – after discovering their affair), Roxie meets Fred Casely (Dominic West), a man who convinces her he can “make her showbiz career take off”. However, after Roxie has undergone the “casting couch” treatment, and Fred has had his wicked way with her, he reveals that he has no more connections in show business than she does. This is the final straw for Roxie, and her constant anger at rejection explodes. She shoots Fred Casely and kills him. Upon discovering her infidelity, Roxie’s husband Amos refuses to take the blame for the murder and Roxie is sent to jail, pending hanging. In jail, she finally meets tabloid darling Velma Kelly, currently receiving huge media attention for the double murder she committed earlier in the tale. Sharing the clink with Velma, are a collection of other sly females, all awaiting trial for the murders of their own partners. Velma is aloof to Roxie, however, the prison Warden, Matron Mama Morton (Queen Latifah), offers Roxie the opportunity of representation by slick Chicago lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere). Billy is more a showbiz public relations agent than a legal lawyer, and minipulates the tabloids into thinking Roxie is no more than an innocent “good time girl” who took the wrong path, than a scheming murderess. The tabloids go crazy for the new girl on the cell block, and Roxie finally becomes a star. However, due to Roxie’s new found fame, Velma is forgotten about. She is forced to approach Roxie with an offer of a part in her Vaudville act (filling the gap left by her murdered sister), but Roxie turns down her offer flat, thinking she needs no support in topping the bill. However, just as Velma’s star fell, so does Roxie’s, when Go-to-hell Kitty Baxter (Lucy Liu) arrives at the jail on a multiple murder charge, the press forget Roxie and now she and Velma are in the same boat. With one more trick up her sleave, Roxie manages to bring the media attention back onto her, and her day in court arrives. Billy is now ready to play the ultimate showman.

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Chicago Movie Reviews

Almost a 10

In 1920s Chicago, Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) shoots and kills her lover (Dominic West). She lands in prison but, with the help of shady lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), she begins to enjoy her notoriety and thrive on the publicity. Another inmate, Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) begins to get very jealous of all this…

Adaptation of the hit Broadway musical is actually better than the stage version. The story is more coherent and the cast gives their all to the material. Also, the songs flow right into the story–in some musicals the story stops short to make room for the songs–here they just blend together perfectly. Also some of the song and dance numbers just had my audience applauding them–they’re that well done!

The acting is universally good–Zeta-Jones (totally covering her Scottish accent) is just great as Kelly; Zellweger is good as Roxie (but she pouted a little too much for my taste) and Gere is obviously having a great old time as Flynn (and he sings and dances pretty well!). And Queen Latifah, Taye Diggs and Dominic West are great in supporting roles.

I almost gave this a 10…but the ending left me a bit cold. That aside, this is a rarity–a good solid Hollywood adaptation of a stage musical. Worth catching.

Well worth seeing.

In 1924, Cook County (Chicago) had two trials of women who killed their lovers. Both Beaulah Annan and Belva Gaertner inexplicably were found innocent–and the media loved it. As a result, in 1927, a silent fictionalized movie called “Chicago” debuted. Then, in 1942, Ginger Rogers starred in a remake called “Roxie Hart”. In the mid-1970s, a musical version of “Roxie Hart” debuted on Broadway. And, in 2002, the filmed version of the 70s musical was released. Now that is a long and interesting pedigree! As for the film, it’s an interesting melange. The songs are great and the film is very impressive…yet it’s so incredibly anachronistic that it made my brain hurt. Now some of this I could understand–it was more like a filmed version of the play than most musicals. But why they chose to have ridiculously modern outfits and backup dancers confused me. Why did Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger and Richard Gere dress and look like they were from the 1920s–yet the rest of the dancers look right off the stage of Broadway circa 2002?! The fishnet stockings, 2002 hairstyles and the like really confused the crap out of me–especially since I am a history teacher.

Still, I must point out the singing and songs were great and the story was a huge improvement over the Ginger Rogers film (which was wretched). It was well made and I was particularly impressed by Zeta-Jones (who won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for it), Gere and John C. Reilly. They really worked their butts off and impressed me. So, because so much was right about this film I certainly recommend it. It’s just too bad they didn’t get the details right or even try when it came to all the minor characters and costumes. Oh well, you can’t win ’em all.

Witty and naughty, but what a fantastic movie!

Yes, you may be sceptical of the casting if you saw it, but Chicago is a great movie, honestly it is. There is a sharp and witty script, wonderful performances from Catherine Zeta Jones, Renee Zellwegger and Richard Gere and brilliant song and dance routines. The film is stunningly-photographed, and it is not only that the song and dance numbers were great, but also how cleverly they were incorporated into the story, which was a fantastic idea. The costumes are also fabulous, and I thought Catherine Zeta Jones was hot as Velma. Richard Gere is his usual charming self, and Renee Zellwegger lights up the screen even if her character is rather dim-witted. The film is a little long, but I think this is a witty and naughty movie, that is absolutely fantastic in every meaning of the word, and I don’t get the negative criticisms. 9.5/10 Bethany Cox