Chicago
2002 · Directed by Rob Marshall
Original language: English
- comedy
- crime
- drama
The story
Murderesses Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart find themselves on death row together and fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows in 1920s Chicago.
What it’s like
Glossy, razzle-dazzle stagecraft shot like a vaudeville revue: saturated jazz-age reds and golds, black-and-white fantasy numbers that snap into full colour, and a camera that spins, tilts and cuts on the beat, so the frame itself seems to tap its feet. Sets are stylised and theatrical, with smoky nightclub haze, art-deco glamour and a cramped women's jail rendered as a pale, stark cage. The score is brassy and jazz-driven, with big ensemble numbers and sly, sardonic lyrics that keep the tone bright even when the subject turns dark. Pacing is brisk and rhythmic, with rapid cuts and a steady bounce that rarely lets up, though quieter reflective moments give the performers room to breathe. Its mood is cheeky, cynical and high-gloss, a comedy about vanity and the media circus. Violence is offstage and cartoonish, with the murders mentioned rather than shown, and the sexual content is suggestive and playful rather than explicit. It suits a fun night in, or a stylish comfort watch. It is for people who love musicals with a wicked sense of humour, sharp costumes and tap-dance energy.
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