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CHICAGO (PG-13)

Plot Summary: Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) kills her lover and struggles to earn both her freedom and celebrity status.

Reason for the Rating: Sexual content and dialogue, violence.

CHICAGO is the most recent incarnation of the big screen musical revival that began with Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991) and evolved to into the MTV influenced MOULIN ROUGE! (2001). Based on the 1975 Broadway musical by Bob Fosse, CHICAGO is the perfect musical for the Court TV generation.  

Set in the Roaring 20’s, Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) is a struggling singer who shoots her lover and then manipulates her husband into paying for her defense. Her defense lawyer, Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), specializes in fictionalizing the stories of his clients to play to the sympathies of both the Chicago’s tabloid press and juries. While haggling over his $5,000 legal fee with Roxie’s husband, Flynn dead pans, “If Jesus Christ had lived in Chicago, and if he had $5,000, and had come to me—things would have turned out differently.” The threat of hanging cannot stir Roxie from her narcissism. She hopes that Billy Flynn’s defense strategy will catapult her feeble dancing career after she wins her freedom. 

It turns out that Roxie's self-absorption isn’t unique. While in prison, she tangles with Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), another of Flynn’s project. Unlike Roxie, Velma is a seasoned vaudevillian. Velma murdered her sister and husband when she caught them in bed together. Velma and Roxie realize that the spotlight isn’t large enough for the two of them. Only one can capture the heart of the city, earn release, and a reenergized career. The loser of their contest faces death by gallows and obscurity. 

CHICAGO’s dark plot unfolds with a winking cynicism, witty dialogue, and bold, brassy, musical numbers. The pacing is brilliant. The camera effortlessly shifts back and forth between the actual events and the dance numbers which occur inside Roxie’s star-struck imagination. A former chorus-line dancer, Zeta-Jones convincingly sold her part as the seasoned performer. Zellweger captured Roxie’s self-infatuation without destroying the audience’s ability to cheer for the character. Gere played his role well but his footwork wasn’t at the same caliber as his co-stars. Even so, his portrayal of a slick tongued star-maker was delightful. 

Viewing the movie was joy. I clapped aloud at the end of the dance numbers and smiled at the sharp dialogue. The exuberance of the film almost caused me to forget that this is a tragic film. None of the characters ever escapes the lure of wanting to be a celebrity. Roxie comes dangerously close to having a sober moment. However, she is spared from self-examination by finally getting her big break, making CHICAGO the feel-good tragedy of the year.

FamilyFans.com Recommends: CHICAGO is a rare jewel of a movie. However, some of the costumes are quite risqué. Parents should use discretion before deciding to view this movie with teens.

After the Show…If members of your family choose to view this movie, use these questions to spark discussion about it afterward:

---Why do you think Roxie was so driven by a need to become a celebrity? What were the prices that she paid along the way to acquire the attention she wanted?

---How does the media influence our attitudes about the importance of fame and celebrity?

---What are the differences being between enjoying celebrity status, enjoying significance, and enjoying success? Which one do you think is most important to God? 

Larry Shallenberger

Note: All movie-related graphics in this column are standard publicity/promotional shots and are owned by their respective movie studios.