Chock full of incredible music and dancing, A Chorus Line, about performers auditioning for a Broadway show, is a treat for the eyes and ears – if you can separate it from the stage musical.
There are some movies that are a piece of you. I grew up with A Chorus Line, fell in love with it very early, and have watched it hundreds of times. Being the theatre nerd that I am, it was only as a teenager that I realized that this film isn’t exactly the same as the stage production, and in being what it is, it has received a ton of criticism. But I’ll let you decide whether that is warranted or not.
A Chorus Line is about a group of dancers auditioning for a part in a new Broadway production. Starting from hundreds of auditioners, the line of candidates grows smaller and smaller until 16 performers remain, hoping to claim one of 8 available parts (4 men and 4 women). During this audition, Cassie, a former dancer and the former love of Zach (the producer) arrives (much to his displeasure) asking to audition for the job as well.
If it isn’t already clear, I love this movie. It is different from almost anything out there, and it has an incredibly unique story to tell. The stage musical was originally conceived by Michael Bennett, who gathered many of his friends together in the 70s and recorded them on audio tape. They had a little wine, got a little loose, and shared their personal stories with each other. That session gave birth to what would ultimately become the musical stage production A Chorus Line. (You can hear much more about this in the documentary Every Little Step, about real performers auditioning for the revival of A Chorus Line on Broadway – it’s fantastic).
The thing that makes this show special is the focus on each individual performer and their story. Throughout the show, each cast member on the line talks about something they experienced. Whether it’s puberty, finding a love of dance, pranking a sibling, or discovering you are gay, you get to know each contender in one way or another.
One of the major criticisms that this movie has gotten (other than changing the characters some and cutting songs) is the focus spent on the relationship between Cassie and Zach. There is less time spent on this in the play (as it’s really a show about the dancers and their stories), and, I agree that giving the pivotal song “What I Did For Love” to Cassie (as a nod to her relationship) when Maria is supposed to sing it (about her love of performing) was a mistake in the movie. But hindsight is 20/20 and, in my opinion, it’s just one of those things.
The musical numbers in this movie are incredibly fun. Several of them are earworms (“Dance Ten: Looks: Three” and “I Can Do That” in particular), and the performers all do them justice.
My favorite thing about this movie, though, is the dancing. All of the dancing is exciting to watch, but there is one song that I have watched thousands of times because I truly can’t get enough of it. Richie sings the song “Surprise, Surprise” at about 53 minutes into the film. Gregg Burge, who plays Richie, is one of the best dancers I’ve ever seen. The way he moves his body is absolutely unmatched. He makes these tiny movements that are natural to his style and so unique – you can just see it flowing through his entire being needing to come out. If you never watch this film, I suggest you at least skip to 53 minutes and watch this man move. To me, his talent is exceptional.
My favorite characters have always been Bebe and Richie, but you will find your favorites. If you’ve never seen the show before, you are in for a treat, and if you have, I’d ask you to give it another chance. The film of A Chorus Line is its own thing. If you can separate it from the play, you’re going to enjoy it.
Runtime: 113 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: PG-13
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Yes, I get teary during one scene
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Available: Free for Prime members or on Tubi, to rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
There are some movies that are a piece of you. I grew up with A Chorus Line, fell in love with it very early, and have watched it hundreds of times. Being the theatre nerd that I am, it was only as a teenager that I realized that this film isn’t exactly the same as the stage production, and in being what it is, it has received a ton of criticism. But I’ll let you decide whether that is warranted or not.
