Me and my girl went to check it out during the afternoon on the day after Christmas, mistakenly thinking everybody's ass would be back at work. Damn if we weren't wrong.

It is only playing in four theaters in Memphis and the 1:20 was sold out. We came back at 3:30 (after snatching up the tickets for that show after finding out about the first one) and discovered that it was sold out for the rest of the day at that particular theater.

We got there at 3:10 and the joint was PACKED. I'd say it was 95% black people in there with some scary looking white people sprinkled in. We got a couple of seats on the top row and buckled in. About ten minutes after we sat down, this dude comes up to us and asks if we can move down one seat so his "family can sit together". I didn't care, but my girl later admitted she didn't want to move. Dude offered to buy us some popcorn, so we moved. Big ass mistake.

When the rest of dude's family got there (which included his nephew and his "girlfriend". BS, dude was gayer than an eleven dollar bill and he knew all the damn songs in the movie), one of them asked who all was there and somebody shouted out "North Memphis!".

Earlier in the day, we were discussing how if you sit in public anywhere in Memphis long enough, you'll hear some ig'nant (not ignorant, ig'nant) conversation. More on that later...

The flick starts after previews of Freedom Writers and Stomp the Yard (which prompted responses of "Ooohh I miss college" and "I can't wait to see that" from our adopted family). I'm sitting next to a classic black movie goer. The kind that talks to the screen or goes "mmmm" every time something significant happens on screen. Somehow these people always sit next to or around me. My sister is also one of these people.

At the beginning, when Jimmy's backup singers are walking out, one of them, who actually does resemble Margaret Avery (Shug from The Color Purple), prompted a "that's Shug Avery. Mmm hmmm. Sho' is" from the lady sitting next to me. Never mind that that actress was in her twenties and I'm sure Margaret is about 50 now. Other highlights from this woman during the movie:
"Don't turn yo back on him girl. He gonna shoot her." - When Deena walks out on Curtis
"He know he wrong,"- When Jimmy hits on Lorell
"Ooohh the Jacksons"- During the kid group performance

Anyway, like some people said above, despite a great performance from Eddie Murphy, everytime he was on screen, people laughed. Most annoying was when Jimmy died and they showed his body being taken out on TELEVISION. Eddie wasn't even in the scene and he got laughs. It reminded me of when I saw Hollywoodland and George Reeves was cut out of From Here to Eternity because people couldn't see him as anything but Superman.

Also, most people didn't realize this was a musical because whenever a song started, people began to laugh. And I do mean, whenever a song started. I mean, if you've never seen a musical or haven't seen one made in the last two decades, it is a little jarring to see people break into song, but damn, man. Come on.

And now, the show stopper. When Jennifer Hudson began "And I Am Telling You..." She gets out the first two lines. Uncontrolled applause. She finishes the second verse, uncontrolled applause. She breaks it down, uncontrolled applause. She finishes the song, uncontrolled applause. Dammit!

I liked the movie, but I never saw the original play. My girl had and pointed out a few differences. She liked it as well, but was equally turned off by the crowd. Could Jennifer Hudson pull down the Oscar? Probably. If nothing else, her success proves that American Idol is a joke. Lose out on that show and get the role of a lifetime and acclaim from everybody everywhere or win that show and get to put out songs like "Baby Mama" and "Hood Boy". I'll take the first choice.

Wasn't Fantasia up for Effie? That would have been interesting, seeing as how she has admitted that she can't read.