''Chicago'' is a 2002

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

black comedy Black comedy, also known as black humor, bleak comedy, dark comedy, dark humor, gallows humor or morbid humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally ...

crime film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...

based on the 1975 stage musical, which in turn originated in the 1926 play. It explores the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

during the

Jazz Age The Jazz Age was a period from 1920 to the early 1930s in which jazz music and dance styles gained worldwide popularity. The Jazz Age's cultural repercussions were primarily felt in the United States, the birthplace of jazz. Originating in New O ...

. The film stars an

ensemble cast In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that comprises many principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17 Structure In contrast to the po ...

led by

Renée Zellweger Renée Kathleen Zellweger ( ; born April 25, 1969) is an American actress. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Renée Zellweger, various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four ...

, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and

Richard Gere Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began appearing in films in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in ''Looking for Mr. Goodbar (film), Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and a starring role in ''Days of Hea ...

. ''Chicago'' centers on Roxie Hart (Zellweger) and Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones), two murderers who find themselves in jail together awaiting trial in 1920s Chicago. Roxie, a housewife, and Velma, a

vaudevillian Vaudeville (; ) is a theatre, theatrical genre of variety show, variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comic ...

, fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows. The film marks the feature directorial debut of Rob Marshall, who also choreographed the film, and was adapted by screenwriter

Bill Condon William Condon (born October 22, 1955) is an American director and screenwriter. Condon is known for writing and/or directing numerous successful and acclaimed films including ''Gods and Monsters (film), Gods and Monsters'', ''Chicago (2002 fi ...

, with music by

John Kander John Harold Kander (born March 18, 1927) is an American composer, known largely for his work in the musical theater. As part of the songwriting team Kander and Ebb (with lyricist Fred Ebb), Kander wrote the scores for 15 musicals, including ''Cab ...

and lyrics by

Fred Ebb Fred Ebb (April 8, 1928 – September 11, 2004) was an American musical theatre lyricist who had many successful collaborations with composer John Kander. The Kander and Ebb team frequently wrote for such performers as Liza Minnelli and Chita ...

. ''Chicago'' received critical acclaim, with particular praise for the performances of the cast. The film went on to win six

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...

2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...

, including Best Picture, making it the first musical to win Best Picture since '' Oliver!'' in 1968. For her performance, Zeta-Jones won the

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 9th Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performanc ...

, the British Academy Film Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, and the

Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress The Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award given out at the annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards. The awards are presented by the Critics Choice Association (CCA), and were first presented in 1995 with Mira Sorvino bei ...

. Zellweger won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical, and Gere won the

Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Golden means made of, or relating to gold. Golden may also refer to: Places United Kingdom *Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall *Golden Cap, Dorset *Golden Square, Soho, London *Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershi ...

. ''Chicago'' was the tenth-highest-grossing film of the year domestically in the United States.

Plot

In 1924, housewife Roxie Hart watches

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...

star Velma Kelly perform ("Overture/ All That Jazz") at The Onyx, a Chicago nightclub. Seeking stardom, Roxie begins an affair with furniture salesman Fred Casely, who claims to know the manager. After the show, Velma is arrested for killing her husband and sister upon catching them in bed together. A month later, Casely admits to Roxie that he lied about his connections in order to sleep with her. Enraged, she shoots him dead. She convinces her gullible husband, Amos, to take the fall by telling him she killed a burglar in self-defense. However, when evidence of Roxie's infidelity is uncovered, Amos recants and tells the police that Casely was dead when he arrived home ("Funny Honey"). Roxie is arrested, with District Attorney Martin Harrison declaring she faces execution by hanging. At Cook County Jail, Roxie is sent to Murderess' Row, supervised by the corrupt Matron "Mama" Morton ("When You're Good to Mama"). She learns the backstories of the other women there, including her idol Velma (" Cell Block Tango"), who rebuffs her attempts at friendship. On Morton's advice, Roxie engages Velma's lawyer, the brilliant Billy Flynn ("All I Care About"). Flynn and Roxie manipulate the press, reinventing Roxie as an originally virtuous Southern woman corrupted by the city's decadent nightlife; she claims that she had the affair with Casely because Amos was always working, but repented and left Casely for Amos, and Casely jealously attacked her ("We Both Reached for the Gun"). The press believe the story; praised by the public as a tragic heroine, Roxie becomes an overnight sensation ("Roxie"). Velma, unhappy at losing the public's attention, tries to convince Roxie to join her act, replacing her murdered sister ("I Can't Do It Alone"), but Roxie, now the more popular of the two rivals, snubs her. When wealthy heiress Kitty Baxter is arrested for murdering her husband and his two mistresses, the press and Flynn instantly shift their focus to her. To Velma's surprise, Roxie quickly regains the spotlight by claiming pregnancy. Amos is ignored by the press ("Mister Cellophane"), and Flynn, to generate more sympathy for Roxie, convinces him that the child is Casely's, and that he should divorce Roxie in the midst of her predicament. Roxie decides to fire Flynn, believing she can now win on her own. However, when Katalin Helinszki, a Hungarian woman on Murderess' Row (the only inmate who insists on her own innocence), becomes the first woman in Cook County history to be executed by hanging, Roxie realizes the gravity of the situation and rehires Flynn. Roxie's trial begins, and Flynn turns it into a media spectacle ("Razzle Dazzle") with the help of sensationalist newspaper reporters and radio personality Mary Sunshine. Flynn discredits witnesses, manipulates evidence and even stages a public reconciliation between Amos and Roxie when she claims the child is his. The trial seems to be going well for Roxie until Mama and Velma are listening to the trial and find Roxie's diary, and bring it to court, reading incriminating entries in exchange for

amnesty Amnesty () is defined as "A pardon extended by the government to a group or class of people, usually for a political offense; the act of a sovereign power officially forgiving certain classes of people who are subject to trial but have not yet be ...

in her own case. Flynn discredits the diary, implying from its legalistic language that it was written by Harrison, who planted it as evidence ("A Tap Dance"). Roxie is acquitted, but her fame is eclipsed moments later when another woman, who had also shot her own husband, shoots her lawyer outside the courthouse. Flynn admits to Roxie that he tampered with her diary himself, in order to incriminate the DA and also free two clients simultaneously. Amos remains loyal and excited to be a father, but Roxie cruelly reveals that she faked her pregnancy. Roxie continues to pursue a vaudeville career, with limited success ("Nowadays"). The similarly unsuccessful Velma reapproaches Roxie to suggest performing together as a

double act A double act (also known as a comedy duo) is a form of comedy originating in the British music hall tradition, and American vaudeville, in which two comedians perform together as a single act, often highlighting differences in their characters' ...

consisting of two murderers. Roxie initially refuses, but later accepts when Velma points out that they can perform together despite their mutual resentment. The two stage a spectacular performance ("Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag"), receiving a standing ovation from an enthusiastic audience that includes Flynn, Morton, the jurors, and other acquitted murderesses.

Cast

as Roxie Hart, a housewife who aspires to be a vaudevillian, and is arrested for the murder of her deceitful paramour Fred Casely. Charlize Theron,

Marisa Tomei Marisa Tomei ( , ; born December 4, 1964) is an American actress. She gained prominence for her comedic performance in '' My Cousin Vinny'' (1992), which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She received further nominations ...

Christina Applegate Christina Applegate (born November 25, 1971) is an American actress. With a career spanning five decades, her accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award, along with nominations for four Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award. After appearing in se ...

Mira Sorvino Mira Katherine Sorvino (; born ) is an American actress. She rose to stardom with her performance as a prostitute in the comedy film ''Mighty Aphrodite'' (1995), which won her both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Academy Award for Best S ...

Jennifer Jason Leigh Jennifer Jason Leigh (born Jennifer Leigh Morrow; February 5, 1962) is an American actress. She began her career on television during the 1970s before making her film breakthrough in the teen film ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' (1982). She re ...

Milla Jovovich Milica Bogdanovna Jovović; ; ( ; born December 17, 1975), known professionally as Milla Jovovich (), is an American actress and former fashion model. Her starring roles in numerous science fiction film, science-fiction and action films led th ...

, and Jennifer Aniston were considered for the role. * Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly, a charismatic vaudevillian who is arrested for the murders of her husband Charlie and sister Veronica after catching them in bed together *

as Billy Flynn, a duplicitous, greedy, smooth-talking lawyer who turns his clients into celebrities to gain public support for them.

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Michael Jackson, one of the most culturally significan ...

was considered for the role, but

Harvey Weinstein Harvey Weinstein (, ; born March 19, 1952) is an American film producer and convicted sex offender. In 1979, Weinstein and his brother, Bob Weinstein, co-founded the entertainment company Miramax, which produced several successful independent ...

heavily objected to the idea of casting Jackson as he felt more attention would be paid to him than the rest of the cast.

John Travolta John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor. He began acting in television before transitioning into a leading man in films. List of awards and nominations received by John Travolta, His accolades include a Primetime Em ...

was offered the role but turned it down. * Queen Latifah as Matron "Mama" Morton, the corrupt but nurturing

matron Matron is the job title of a very senior or the chief nurse in a hospital in several countries, including the United Kingdom, and other Commonwealth countries and former colonies. Etymology The chief nurse, in other words the person in charge ...

of the Cook County Jail * John C. Reilly as Amos Hart, Roxie's naïve, simple-minded but devoted husband *

Lucy Liu Lucy Alexis Liu (; born December 2, 1968) is an American actress, producer, and artist. Widely regarded as a trailblazer for Asian Americans in arts and entertainment, Asian American representation in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, she is t ...

as Kitty Baxter, a millionaire heiress who briefly outshines Roxie and Velma when she kills her husband and his two mistresses * Taye Diggs as the bandleader, a shadowy, mystical master of ceremonies who introduces each song *

Colm Feore Colm Joseph Feore (; born August 22, 1958) is a Canadian actor. A 15-year veteran of the Stratford Festival, he is known for his Gemini-winning turn as Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau in the CBC miniseries '' Trudeau'' (2002), his portrayal of ...

as Martin Harrison, the prosecutor in both Roxie and Velma's court cases * Christine Baranski as Mary Sunshine, a sensationalist reporter * Dominic West as Fred Casely, Roxie's deceitful paramour and murder victim * Mýa Harrison as Mona, a prisoner on Murderess' Row who killed her artist boyfriend Al Lipschitz via strangulation after discovering he had multiple affairs * Deidre Goodwin as June, a prisoner on Murderess' Row who killed her husband Wilbur by stabbing him ten times with her kitchen knife after he angrily accused her out of jealousy of having an affair with the milkman * Denise Faye as Annie, a prisoner on Murderess' Row who killed her boyfriend Ezekiel Young by poisoning his drink with arsenic after discovering he was a Mormon with six different wives * Ekaterina Chtchelkanova as Katalin Helinszki, a Hungarian prisoner on Murderess' Row who insists she is innocent and does not speak English except for two words: "not guilty"; regardless, she is hanged * Susan Misner as Liz, a prisoner on Murderess' Row who killed her husband Bernie by shooting him twice in the head after he would not stop popping his gum * Jayne Eastwood as Mrs. Borusewicz, the Harts' neighbor from across the hall * Chita Rivera as Nickie, a prostitute. Rivera originated the role of Velma in the Broadway musical ''

'' in 1975; her appearance in the film is a cameo.

Production

Development

The film is based on the 1975 Broadway musical of the same name, which ran for 936 performances. A film adaptation of ''Chicago'' was to have been the next project for

Bob Fosse Robert Louis Fosse (; June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American choreographer, dancer, filmmaker, and stage director. Known for his work on stage and screen, he is arguably the most influential figure in the field of jazz dance in th ...

, who had directed and choreographed the original 1975 Broadway production and had won an

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

for his direction of the film version of ''

Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

'' (1972). Although he died before realizing his version, Fosse's distinctive jazz choreography style is evident throughout the 2002 film, and he is thanked in the credits. The minimalist 1996 revival of the musical proved far more successful, having played more than 10,601 performances (as of December 3, 2023), holding records for longest-running musical revival, longest-running American musical on Broadway and second longest-running show in Broadway history. Its runaway success sparked a greater appreciation of the 1975 original production and renewed stalled interest in a long-anticipated film, which incorporates the influences of both productions. The original production's musical numbers were staged as

acts; the film respects this but presents them as cutaway scenes in the mind of the Roxie character, while scenes in "real life" are filmed with a hard-edged grittiness. The musical itself was based on a 1926 Broadway

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

Maurine Dallas Watkins Maurine Dallas Watkins (July 27, 1896 – August 10, 1969) was an American playwright and screenwriter. Early in her career, she briefly worked as a journalist covering the Courthouse Place, courthouse beat for the ''Chicago Tribune''. This exper ...

, a journalist who had found her inspiration in two real-life Chicago trials she had covered for the press, about two real-life Jazz-era murderers Beulah Annan (Roxie Hart) and Belva Gaertner (Velma Kelly). The

George Abbott George Francis Abbott (June 25, 1887January 31, 1995) was an American theatre producer, director, playwright, screenwriter, film director and producer whose career spanned eight decades. He received numerous honors including six Tony Awards, the ...

-directed production, starring Francine Larrimore and Juliette Crosby, ran for 172 performances at the

Music Box Theatre The Music Box Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 239 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1921, the Music Box ...

, and within a year was adapted to a

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

, in which Gaertner herself had a cameo. ''Chicago'' was produced by American companies Miramax Films and The Producers Circle in association with the German company Kallis Productions. '' Roxie Hart'', also known as ''Chicago'' or ''Chicago Gal'', is a 1942 American comedy film directed by William A. Wellman and starring

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

, Adolphe Menjou and George Montgomery. The film is an adaptation of the 1926 play.

Filming

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...

took place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and ran from December 2001 to April 2002. The courthouse scene was shot in

Osgoode Hall Osgoode Hall is a landmark building in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The original -storey building was started in 1829 and finished in 1832 from a design by John Ewart (architect), John Ewart and William Warren Baldwin. The structure is n ...

. Other scenes were shot at Queen's Park, the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery, Casa Loma, the Elgin Theatre,

Union Station A union station, union terminal, joint station, or joint-use station is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway company, railway companies, allowing passengers to connect conveniently bet ...

, the Canada Life Building, the Danforth Music Hall, and the Old City Hall.

Music

Several songs from the musical's original score were cut from the film, primarily due to the musical numbers being figments of Roxie's imagination. "Tap Dance", "A Little Bit of Good", "I Can't Do It Alone" (reprise), "My Own Best Friend", "I Know a Girl", "Me and My Baby" and "When Velma Takes the Stand" were removed, and "Class", while filmed and recorded for the soundtrack album, is a deleted scene on the DVD, as well as present as part of an "extended version" from the film's 2005 broadcast premiere on NBC. An instrumental of "Me and My Baby" can be heard in its spot, where Roxie enjoys the renewed fame after claiming she's pregnant. # "Overture / All That Jazz" – Velma, Company # "Funny Honey" – Roxie and Amos # "When You're Good to Mama" – Mama # " Cell Block Tango" – Velma, Cell Block Girls # "All I Care About" – Billy, Chorus Girls # "We Both Reached for the Gun" – Billy, Roxie, Mary, Reporters # "Roxie" – Roxie, Chorus Boys # "I Can't Do It Alone" – Velma # "Chicago After Midnight" (''score'') # "Mister Cellophane" – Amos # "Razzle Dazzle" – Billy, Company # "Class" (''deleted scene'') – Velma and Mama # "A Tap Dance" – Billy # "Nowadays" – Roxie # "Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag" – Roxie, Velma # "I Move On" (''end credits'') – Roxie, Velma # "All That Jazz (reprise)" (''end credits'') – Velma, Company

Release

''Chicago'' held its world premiere in Los Angeles on December 10, 2002. In North America, the film opened in

limited release __FORCETOC__ Limited theatrical release is a film distribution strategy of releasing a new film in a few cinemas across a country, typically art house theaters in major metropolitan markets. Since 1994, a limited theatrical release in the Unite ...

at 77 theaters on December 27, 2002. It expanded through the following weeks before reaching a peak of 2,701 theaters by the weekend of March 28, 2003, the first weekend after the Academy Awards.

Home media

''Chicago'' was released by Buena Vista Home Entertainment (under the Miramax Home Entertainment banner) on

DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...

in Region 1 (USA, Canada, and US territories) on August 19, 2003. It was released in Full Screen and Widescreen. In addition to this release, a two-disc "Razzle Dazzle" Edition was released over two years later on December 20, 2005, and later, on

Blu-ray Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...

format, in January 2007 and, in an updated release, in May 2011. The release provides a feature-length

audio commentary An audio commentary is an additional audio track, usually digital, consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with a video. Commentaries can be serious or entertaining in nature, and can add informatio ...

track with director Marshall and screenwriter Condon. There is also a deleted musical number called "Class", performed by Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah. ''Chicago'' was first released on DVD in Region 1 (USA, Canada, and US territories) by Buena Vista Home Entertainment under the Miramax Home Entertainment banner on August 19, 2003. This edition was available in both Full Screen and Widescreen formats. It included bonus features such as a feature-length audio commentary by director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon, as well as a deleted musical number titled "Class," performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah. A two-disc "Razzle Dazzle" Edition was released on December 20, 2005. This collector's edition featured the award-winning motion picture along with brand-new bonus material, including an inside look at the Broadway stage version with interviews from the original 1975 cast, extended versions of musical numbers, and a feature on director Rob Marshall. The film was later released on Blu-ray format on January 23, 2007, offering high-definition video and audio quality. Amazon An updated Blu-ray edition was released on May 3, 2011. Blu-ray.com Additionally, a Blu-ray + Digital HD combo pack was made available on September 22, 2020.

Reception

Box office

''Chicago'' grossed $170.7 million in the United States and Canada, as well as $136.1 million in other territories. Combined, the film grossed $306.8 million worldwide, which was, at the time, the highest gross of any film never to reach #1 or #2 in the weekly box office charts in the North American markets (Canada and United States—where it peaked at #3). Worldwide, ''Chicago'' was the highest grossing live action musical with $306 million, a record that was then broken by '' Mamma Mia!''.

Critical response

''Chicago'' received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for its performances, musical set pieces, and inventive direction. On

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...

, the film holds an 87% approval rating based on 261 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10. The website's consensus reads: "A rousing and energetic adaptation of the Broadway musical, ''Chicago'' succeeds on the level of pure spectacle, but provides a surprising level of depth and humor as well." On

Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

, it has a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 based on 39 reviews, indicating “universal acclaim.” Audiences polled by

CinemaScore CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data. Background Ed Mintz, who ...

gave the film an average grade of “A−” on an A+ to F scale. The cast, including

, Catherine Zeta-Jones,

, and Queen Latifah, earned praise across reviews. Tim Robey of ''The Daily Telegraph'' hailed ''Chicago'' as “the best screen musical for 30 years,” noting its use of “parallel montage” to exploit cinema’s unique advantage over stage musicals.

Roger Ebert Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...

awarded the film 3.5 stars out of 4, describing it as “big, brassy fun” with dazzling showmanship. A. O. Scott of ''The New York Times'' praised the film’s choreography and energy, writing that ''Chicago'' “leaves you feeling giddy,” while ''The Hollywood Reporter'' commended Rob Marshall’s direction and the seamless transition from stage to screen. James Berardinelli of ''ReelViews'' wrote that the film “offers good, solid entertainment” and called it “a sparkling replacement” for those who couldn’t see the Broadway version. Some reviewers noted tonal contrasts and stylistic choices.

Peter Bradshaw Peter Nicholas Bradshaw (born 19 June 1962) is a British writer and film critic. He has been chief film critic at ''The Guardian'' since 1999, and is a contributing editor at ''Esquire'' magazine. Early life and education Bradshaw was educat ...

of ''The Guardian'' gave it three out of five stars, likening the film to a “grown-up version of ''Bugsy Malone'' (1976)” and describing its aesthetic as “naughty-but-nice criminality and low-cal raunchiness.” ''

Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...

'' praised the film’s choreography and revitalization of the movie musical genre, while '' Time Out'' highlighted the stylized musical sequences and darker tonal elements, calling it “jagged, cerebral, jazz-inflected and cynical.” '' Variety'' described the film as a “sassy, sizzling” adaptation that successfully reimagined the stage production for a modern cinematic audience.

Accolades

Legacy

Along with '' Moulin Rouge!'' (2001) and '' 8 Mile'' (2002), ''Chicago'' is often credited with ushering a re-emergence of the musical film genre in the 21st century. Japanese rock band

Buck-Tick Buck-Tick (stylized as BUCK-TICK) is a Japanese rock band formed in Fujioka, Gunma in 1983. The classic lineup of lead vocalist Atsushi Sakurai, lead guitarist Hisashi Imai, rhythm guitarist Hidehiko Hoshino, bassist Yutaka Higuchi and drum ...

named their 2010 album '' Razzle Dazzle'' after the film's song of the same name. In February 2025, ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' ranked ''Chicago'' at number 2 on its list of "The 25 best movie musicals of the 21st century," with Naveen Kumar describing it as "a perfect marriage of theatrical flair to the power of moviemaking."

Notes

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chicago 2002 films 2002 black comedy films 2002 comedy-drama films 2002 crime comedy films 2002 crime drama films 2002 directorial debut films 2002 musical films 2000s American films 2000s crime comedy-drama films 2000s dance films 2000s English-language films 2000s musical comedy-drama films 2000s satirical films American crime comedy-drama films American dance films American films based on plays American musical comedy-drama films American satirical films BAFTA winners (films) Best Musical or Comedy Picture Golden Globe winners Best Picture Academy Award winners Canadian crime comedy-drama films Canadian dance films Canadian films based on plays Canadian musical comedy-drama films Canadian satirical films Edgar Award–winning works English-language crime comedy-drama films English-language musical comedy-drama films English-language black comedy films Fiction about mariticide Films about capital punishment Films about lawyers Films about musical theatre Films based on adaptations Films based on musicals Films directed by Rob Marshall Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe winning performance Films featuring a Best Musical or Comedy Actress Golden Globe winning performance Films featuring a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award–winning performance Films scored by Danny Elfman Films set in 1924 Films set in Chicago Films set in prison Films set in the Roaring Twenties Films shot in Toronto Films that won the Best Costume Design Academy Award Films that won the Best Sound Mixing Academy Award Films whose art director won the Best Art Direction Academy Award Films whose editor won the Best Film Editing Academy Award Films with screenplays by Bill Condon Films about siblicide German crime comedy-drama films German films based on plays German musical comedy-drama films German satirical films Jazz films Miramax films Women in prison films