ChicagoIt basically defines the excellence in music tracks, production design, costume design and choreography that is so rich and visually aesthetic to view that it upbeats the audience on the seat to a point where one can't defy that it is entertainment at its best. It is finely detailed when it comes to create the high pitched musical sequences where each and every beat, lyric and tempo serves the right amount of taste that has been missing in musical features. The plot does not only lifts up from eerie perspective but stays true to its nature throughout the course of it that has gripping screenplay, stellar performances, perfect editing and execution, amusing characters and stunning visuals. Rob Marshall is in his A game in here being aware of the opportunity and the potential that this script has, he draws out the best from each and every frame. A smart adaptation by Bill Condon; the screenplay writer, that offers enough space and range for the character and actors to factor in. Renee Zellweger and Richard Gere are brilliant in it but the real game changer is Catherine Zeta Jones as a supporting artist. Chicago is a rare art that touches the craft and hardwork at its peak and radiates the deep down emotion and communicates with the audience from the first frame and doesn't leave until the curtain drops.

Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) is taken to prison on murder charges where she meets Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones). The two are represented by the same attorney, Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), and both are captivated by being in the spotlight. A major theme throughout this film is corruption. Corruption of society is brought up when Fred Casely (Dominic West) lies to Roxie. It was wrong of him to lie, but it is also a highlight on just how low people will go to get what they want. Roxie was believing the lie just because she wanted to get into showbiz. The color contributes to the theme of corruption during the second song. Amos Hart (John C Reilly) was covering for Roxie, and when realizes what happened, he tells everything to the police. At this point, Roxie is bathed in a red light, representing corruption, contrasting with Amos who has blue, pure, light over him. The press conference really brought to light how corrupt everything was. The press were represented as puppets with Billy Flynn as the puppeteer. This symbolizes that he has full control of the press and they write whatever makes his clients look good. This theme can also be seen in The Shawshank Redemption, directed by Frank Darabont. Corruption takes place in the prison between bringing in contraband to illegal bookwork. This is true for Chicago as well, you notice that anything can be done for a pretty penny.

Not surprisingly, this film is adapted from a play. To put it simply, the film feels as if they took the play, filmed it with a nice camera, and put it on the screen. But they did it nicely and made a great film full of fantastic acting, emotion-packed scenes, and vivid visuals.A story of an aspiring showgirl in Chicago, it transcends the shallow emotions of the primary characters, instead painting a rich and deep portrait of tough human emotion with a hint of satire. When caught too deep in the tragedy of the story, Marshall plucks the characters out of the depths and inserts a bit of humor and satire, keeping true to both the subject matter and form of film.To imbue emotion into a musical of this scale is a tremendous and monumental task. But the cast do it. Zellweger, as the main character, portrays a perfect naivety and shallowness, showing off her skills as an experienced and talented actress. Zeta-Jones is a wonderful supporting actress who illuminates the wonderfully paralleled stories and emotions of the two main showgirls. Gere is outrageously funny. Whether by purpose or on accident, he feels out of place and awkward in a musical, adding humor, but still turns in a fine performance. John C. Reilly in his sparse amount of scenes is absolutely splendid. In what must be the best performance of his career, Reilly embodies the character and makes the viewer earnestly pity and understand him. His solo is spectacular.Every song fit. The songs were set up to both parallel the plot and illustrate the plot at the same time. The set-up is not only artistic, but serves a thematic purpose for the film. However, many a times utilizing song as the main instrument in a film detracts from the rest of it. In this case, the music acts to bolster the emotion of the film, effectively conveying the powerful feelings of the character through carefully constructed music, perfectly exuberant acting, and aptly shiny visuals. The incorporation of these songs into the dialogue makes for a brilliantly crafted screenplay. A film of masterful parallelism on all levels and stimulating plot, Chicago is a story of highs and lows, dramatized to the fullest potential.

I saw Chicago both on Broadway in 2001 and earlier in Melbourne, Australia, so I know and love this musical well. This movie is blessed with inheriting the outstanding, impeccably arranged songs by Kander and Ebb, the luscious, sexy choreography by Bob Fosse, and above all, the searing satire of the original writer, Maurine Dallas Watkins. The latter was a court reporter so disgusted with the simpering, self-serving antics of female murderers In trials in the 1920s that she wrote a play about them. She even includes a sycophantic reporter character, Mary Sunshine, in a savage mockery of weak journalists. Rob Marshall's direction of the film is suitably snappy and witty. The acting is great. I think this is Richard Gere's best film - he conveys the faux concern, sleaze and underlying ruthlessness of lawyer Billy Flynn beautifully, and he nails two of the musical's best numbers - All I Care About and Razzle Dazzle, in charismatic style. Renee Zellweger is witty and appealing as the outwardly sweet but morally bankrupt killer Roxy Hart. It's hard to believe Zellweger was inexperienced in musicals. Catherine Zeta Jones is great as the more wily but increasingly desperate Velma Kelly, accused of killing her husband and her sister. Special mention to Lucy Liu in a smart cameo as the glamorous new killer who takes the media spotlight away from Velma and Roxy. All in all, this movie is a superb complement to the stage version.