Chicago (2002)

Miramax

Directed by Rob Marshall
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Miramax)

Best Picture
Best Supporting Actress - Catherine Zeta-Jones
Best Art Direction - Set Decoration
Best Costume Design
Best Editing
Best Sound
Nominated: Best Director
Nominated: Renee Zellwegger - Best Actress
Nominated: John C. Reilly - Best Supporting Actor
Nominated: Queen Latifah - Best Supporting Actress
Nominated: Best Cinematography
Nominated: Best Original Song
Nominated: Best Adapted Screenplay

The perennial Broadway musical gets a modern jolt and ends up looking like a sleazy Madonna video with a huge budget. Roxie Hart is as unlikeable as ever as the self-absorbed murderess after fame and fortune. Richard Gere is the lawyer who is even more egotistical and unethical to boot. Finally, there is Catherine Zeta-Jones who lives for the limelight, only to lose it to Roxie, but will stoop to anything to get it back. Flashy editing techniques, over-the-top costuming and set design can't hide the fact that every character is corrupt to the core. However, the whole film may be nothing more than the fantasies of Roxie, as implied by the opening zoom-shot into her eyeball.