Bob Marshall Chicago Musical Critique

Chicago, made in 2002, directed by Rob Marshall is an outstanding movie musical that definitely deserves to be a best picture nominee primarily for its point of view to capture emotion, story telling technique, and its impactful plot. Being a converted musical, Rob Marshall does an exquisite job portraying the true plot line allowing this move to be considered better than the stage version.

This movie musical about the six cook county murderesses, starring Velma Kelly played by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Roxie Hart played by Renee Zellweger, is full of theatrical variety giving the audience a taste of what it would feel like to be in chicago in 1926. Being told from the point of view of the murderesses the film allows pity to be given to the wrongs they have committed, pulling emotions as if it was you on trial. Marshalls use of point of view is one of the main reasons we fall in love with Roxie Hart and give into her lies as she pleads innocent. The audience begins to feel sorry for Roxie and the rest of the murderesses although what they have done is incorrect, that shows a true connection between the viewer and the characters. Marshall is able to the

impossible by making the audience side with the villain just by use of point of view. This matches my criteria to be a best picture nominee because my emotion were evoked while watching, feeling invested in Roxie’s case truly established my connection with her character and allowed true pity for her situation to be revealed.
The unique way the story of Chicago is told just adds to the list of reasons why this movie should be a best picture nominee. Being a movie musical it is very important for it to stay true to its original stage version as much as possible, and the way the director Rob Marshall did this is mind blowing. The movie scenes constantly switch back from reality to being a glamorous stage performance, a really good example of this would be a scene where one of the murderesses is being hung for her crimes. One minute we watch is happen as if it is reality and the next moment we see her “performing” a glamourous acrobatic show as if she was on stage taking the gruesomeness out of the reality itself . This unique way of telling the story may be a symbol for the overall movie that all of the events are just for our entertainment. The technique of storytelling throughout Chicago keeps your eyes glues to the screen. Feeling invested in a movie like this exceeds my criteria for a best picture nominee,and that is why this film is on my my top movies list.
The original creator of Chicago, Bob Fosse was able to create a musical and dance masterpiece and If the story were told in a nonmusical way It may not have the same way of grabbing ahold of the viewer the way it did.

The overall plot of this movie leaves an impact on the audience promoting thought provoking question of the hidden meaning, is the way our society works all just for show?, Does desire control people's actions?, all questions one may think after watching the plot unfold. The films ability to encourage thought provoking question is what makes this film a must see and allow many people to consider it better than the stage version. This very aspect is what completed my check list for worthiness of a best picture nomination, it left me thinking and continued to make me talk about it with my

friends.
Chicago is completely deserving of a best picture nomination due to its point of view to capture emotion, story telling technique, and its impactful plot. Rob Marshall exceed expectations turning this musical into a cinematic work of art and left viewers considering it a best picture nomination of 2002.
Personally I really enjoyed Chicago especially being a dancer. It has always been a dream of mine to perform in “Cell Block Tango” as I consider it to be bar far one of the best musical dance numbers I have ever seen. I have see the broadway version in New York many times and I can truly say I believe the movie is better than the stage version. The film not only has the ability to upscale the limitations a stage has but the actors and dancers were simply just better. Bob Fosse is such an inspiration in the dance world I am so glad the movie was able to capture his vision for the show and showcase his choreography skills to the standards he would have expected. Overall I was blown away by the film and left in even more desire to dance and perform.