Spotlight Movie: Dreamgirls (2006)

Everything you've heard is true: Eddie Murphy brings uniquely raw energy to his part and does deserve an Oscar. Jennifer Hudson is amazingly vivid in her debut. Unfortunately, a still photo of Diana Ross shows more signs of life than Beyonce does in her entire performance. Be that as it may, this is a reasonably entertaining, inside showbiz look at the creation of the girl groups of Motown. The one thing that bothers me: as wonderfully evocative as the score is of the Motown sound, I kept hoping for a second, for a smidgen, for a chorus of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Reflections," "Baby Love," "Up the Ladder to the Roof," or any other of the wonderful songs that were genuinely of that time. Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby!