Chicago

Adapted from Bob Fosse's stage musical, Chicago takes you back to the 20’s, the age of Jazz. Many people eagerly anticipated the adaptation from the stage to the big screen and the question is, was it worth the wait? And the answer is, yes!

With a director like Rob Marshall, who received a nomination for the Academy Award for best director due to this film, you know it’s going to be something special. Everyone loves a legend, but in Chicago, there’s only room for one. Velma Kelly (played convincingly by Catherine Zeta-Jones) is a superstar, and soaks up the spotlight as a nightclub sensation. When she shoots her husband and ends up in Chicago’s famed Murderess Row, she grabs Chicago’s slickest lawyer, Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), and is the focus of the newspapers.

Roxie Hart (played by the extremely talented Renee Zellweger) dreams of singing and dancing her way to fame also ends up shooting her abusive partner when he tries to walk out on her and ends up in prison too. Billy recognizes a made for the newspapers story and moves her to the top of his priority list, postponing Velma’s court case in the process. He turns Roxie’s crime of passion into celebrity headlines - Roxie’s life changing ticket to stardom. In the town where murder is a form of entertainment, she becomes the next big hit.

Although the storyline of the film is simple and lacks the inventiveness of Moulin Rouge, the musical aspect certainly makes up for it. Each part of choreography is polished and extremely entertaining, making you want to laugh out loud. With songs that make the most tired of people want to jump up and dance, Rob Marshall perfectly captures the energy and fun of the stage production.

Chicago is great fun, filled with show stopping performances and has songs that will stick in your head long after you’ve finished watching the film. After you’ve watched it a first time, you’ll want to watch it over and over again. A definite must see!