Rating: 
Summary: lots of talent, but film is too dark and slow
Review: First, I love all of the stars in this movie. Richard Gere (since American Gigolo), Renée Zellweger and Queen Latifa are all favorites of mine. I had never seen Catherine Zeta-Jones, but I was impressed with her talent, too. It was very cool to see them together in a musical because, other than QL, I had no idea that they all had song & dance type talent. So, for that reason, I guess that I am glad to have seen "Chicago."Despite the raw talent that was oozing from the screen, my discontent with this movie lies in two facts. It moves (way)too slowly, and it is VERY dark in both appearance and in subject matter. I even caught myself nodding off a few times.... I would not watch it again. If you want to see a gripping musical, watch Moulin Rouge.
Rating: 
Summary: Great musical
Review: This film version of the stage classic is excellently done, with great dance numbers and a soundtrack that could make anyone fantasize about the free-loving, flapping days of the 1920s. The only thing I didn't like about it was the overplayed acting by Renee Zellweger; don't get me wrong, she's good--but it was pretty obvious that she tried a little TOO hard in her role as Roxie Hart. (The exagerrated lip-puckering and high voice got REALLY annoying after awhile.) Catherine Zeta Jones as Velma Kelly was a perfect choice, with her powerful singing voice and extraordinary dance talents. As for Richard Gere, he was a terrific choice for Billy Flynn; few other actors alive today could've pulled off that part so well. (Except maybe Jack Nicholson.) John C. Reilly--no one else could've played his part as Amos Hart. He was absolutely perfect!
Overall, if you rent this movie, you won't regret it!
Rating: 
Summary: Oh, so tantalizing.
Review: I've seen this three times already. I'm not a musical fanatic and, for the most part, I am a man of few words. This is so much fun. The music and lyrics are 1st rate, Bob Fosse can't be beat, Richard Gere is very surprising, it is superbly acted and performed by all, the numbers are oh you get the idea. Fast moving and fun, fun, fun. Foot stomping and very entertaining indeed and isn't that what it's all about anyway.
Rating:
Summary: All That Jazz
Review: "Chicago" definitely deserved to sweep at the Oscars last year. I was especially happy it won Best Picture. This was one of my favorite movies of 2002. Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweiger) is an aspiring Vaudeville star who shoots her lover, then ends up in jail with her idol, singer Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones). With the help of the slick, slimy Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), the women try to get out of jail and return to showbiz. Though Renee Zellwieger was very good, I thought Catherine Zeta-Jones did the best job in this movie. When the two sang and danced together, Zeta-Jones was the one I couldn't keep my eyes off of. She's a trained dancer and singer, so with this film, she was completely in her element. She definitely deserved the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. My favorite songs/dance numbers included: "All That Jazz," "Mr. Cellophane," "Cell Block Tango," "We Both Reached For the Gun," and "Nowadays." The song and dance numbers were cleverly done so that they were in Roxie's head, if you don't like the idea of musicals with people randomly bursting into song and dance. Go rent it today, I strongly recommend it!
Rating:
Summary: A Modern Classic
Review: When the musical Chicago first debuted on Broadway in 1975, it was condemned by many for its irresponsible portrayal of the criminal justice system as a three ring circus. Contemporary audiences were unaccustomed to watching murder and corruption presented as sources of entertainment and Bob Fosse's production closed after a scant two year run. Thankfully, the passage of time has vindicated the show. In a post-OJ Simpson world, this story of two jazz age women who bump off their respective lovers, manipulate the masses, and ultimately achieve fame in vaudeville is now a pertinent and perceptive send-up of modern American justice in action. Director Rob Marshall fully captures the relevance and excitement of the piece in a sparkling and thoroughly entertaining new movie adaptation that overflows with showmanship and satire. Although Marshall was questioned by many for his decision to cast A-list Hollywood celebrities in roles that required proficient singers and dancers, his choices have proven to be uniformly sound. In the role of Roxie Hart, an aspiring performer who is arrested for brutally murdering her deceitful boyfriend, Renee Zellwegger succeeds in humanizing a basically heartless and amoral vixen. By investing the character with naiveté and a poignant desire to achieve stardom at any cost, Zellwegger gives Roxie a vulnerability that allows us to forgive her sins and applaud her pluck and determination. She contrasts beautifully with Catharine Zeta-Zones, who exudes pure elegance and cynicism as murderous dancer Velma Kelly. Zeta-Jones has genuine experience performing on stage, and her skill is readily apparent in her showstopping renditions of the songs "All that Jazz" and "I Can't do it Alone." Finally, Richard Gere is charismatic and uncharacteristically enthusiastic as Billy Flynn, the shyster lawyer who gets Roxie and Velma off the hook. Gere's singing is surprisingly smooth, and his attempt at tap dancing is one of the film's most charming highlights. Marshall has cleverly staged most of John Kander and Fred Ebb's stirring musical numbers as daydreams or fantasies that reflect the emotions of the characters or the circumstances they find themselves in. In "We Both we Reached for the Gun," Marshall depicts the gullibility of the press by showing reporters dancing on marionette strings (controlled by puppeteer Flynn) listening to Roxie's justification for her crime. In the touching "Mr. Cellophane," Roxie's loyal but perpetually overlooked husband Amos (a winning John C. Reilly) appears on an imaginary stage to sing about his frustration at being ignored by everyone who meets him. And in "Razzle Dazzle" the circus-like atmosphere of the courtroom is aptly presented as Flynn sings and dances in a ringmaster's outfit while chorus girls carry evidence that will ensure Roxie's acquittal. To describe Chicago as the best musical of the last twenty years is probably an underhanded compliment, considering that its competition is overproduced spectacles (last year's Moulin Rouge) and horrifyingly banal miscalculations (Newsies anyone?). Instead, I will state that the film is unequivocally one of the best movies of 2002 and one of the most enjoyable rentals that video stores are currently providing. And that's something to sing about!
Rating: 
Summary: Extraordinarily overrated.
Review: Okay. I'm not a big fan of musicals. And show tunes sicken me. Plus, I'm more into substance than glitz. And I appreciate good acting. Finally, I've never seen a movie where dancing has added anything. I'm glad I got that out of the way. As for Chicago, the acting, such as it is, is rather thin and not terribly impressive. The songs are shallow and mainly dumb. Sure, there are lots of lights, and custumes, and "numbers," but the entire production had the feel of amateur performers trying to be grown-ups. Why'd I give it three? Because I had to leave some room at the bottom for films that have no redeeming value. This movie has some value as eye candy, but little else.
Rating:
Summary: Great!
Review: What a great movie. For those who have seen the broadway play, or for those who haven't it is just a wonderful representation. The music and the dancing is spectacular. Buy it, you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Good but not Great!
Review: Although Chicago was esteemed by many critics and viewers, my own personal opinion is that it was good but not great. The film is filled with outstanding musical and dance numbers. The acting was better than i thought it would be, and i was very surprised to see the intricate detail that went into the making of this movie. However, i felt that it did not deserve the award for best picture at the Oscars. It has a very cheap plotline that reflects the gradual downfall of our society's moral standards. It says that is ok to kill, lie, cheat, and use anyone to get what you want. It gives the impression that our one true goal in life should be to become rich and famous and that we should do anything we have to to get it. It is a cheap rip off of much better musicals such as: "Moulin Rouge," "The Sound of Music," "Phantom of the Opera," "Fiddler on the Roof," etc. In my opinion this movie was not all it was cracked up to be.
Rating:
Summary: Maybe Our Standards Have Slid?
Review: Seems to me that this musical should not garner all the high esteem that it has, since the plotline is suspect and the acting is well, limited? The rest is raunchy 1920's flapper girl, gin run culture. Oh, yes the songs are done with gusto, but who would assume for a minute that they would be done as opener for Sound of Music? Our culture is ripe for such, highlighting the lowlights. As one reviewer put it so well, this is overproduction, which starts to grate on one's intelligence and taste. The bright lights and blaring tunes with suggestive sensuality laden is all apprapo to our times, but wait, there are a few of us who agree, this is not what we give five stars for.
Rating:
Summary: Don't miss this one!!!
Review: I'm not a huge fan of musicals, especially in movie form, but "Chicago" really blew me away. It deserves every award that it won, and then some. The story was exciting, and the movie flowed seamlessly from the diaglogue to the musical numbers. Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta-Jones both reveal amazingly strong voices. Zellweger's voice isn't quite as strong, but still quite good considering this is her first foray into singing. One disappointment is that Richard Gere's voice is adequate at best. He otherwise fills the role of Billy Flynn to a "T." Even if this isn't your usual sort of movie, give it a shot. You won't be disappointed!
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