Chicago

Review by Jason Gaston

It made off like a bandit at the Oscars and now the musical legal drama, Chicago, is on DVD for all of those – including me – who never got around to seeing it in the theater.

The story, based on the Broadway musical, follows star struck hopeful Roxie Hart. Roxie wants to be in showbiz and has an affair with a man who says he can get her in. However, when she finds out he’s been lying to her, he shoots him dead and winds up on Death Row. Her only hope is a shifty lawyer who conspires to make her a media star and get her off scot free (yeah, like THAT would ever happen in real life.)

Believe all the good things you heard about this movie, kids, because it’s all true. Chicago is one spirited ride with flair, pizzazz, and inventiveness.

The kicker of the movie is its style. Roxie is so obsessed with showbiz that everything… be it a lawyer’s closing statement to an execution to a press conference is remained in her sick little head as an elaborate musical number. I’ve never seen the Broadway show and have no idea if it’s similar, but I loved the way the numbers were handled in this movie. It was like a breath of fresh air.

Yeah, I know what you’re thinking… it’s a musical and musicals are dumb. Well, if watching Cathrine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, and other beautiful ladies prance around singing in tight piece of fabric that almost can’t be qualified as a costume makes you dumb, someone find me a helmet, quick!

This isn't just a movie, it’s a show and it’s a damned enjoyable one at that. The tunes are catchy, the performances are great, and the twists, turns, surprises, one-upsmanship, and comeuppance in the court battle keeps everything interesting.

Not only is this a great musical, but it’s a great movie as well with an interesting story and tons of satire to be handed about. See it!