--- title: "Chicago" year: 2002 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/chicago" fi1m_score: 73 critics_score: 67 critics_reviews: 17 published: "2026-09-20T07:07:09.808585+00:00" updated: "2026-09-20T07:07:22.180796+00:00" region: "US" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Chicago (2002) Directed by Rob Marshall · 1h 53m · MPA PG-13 · Comedy, Crime, Drama **Fi1m score: 73** · Critics 67 from 17 reviews *In a sentence:* Everyone is guilty, everyone is in sequins, and nobody is allowed to finish a dance step > Rob Marshall’s film of the Kander and Ebb musical finds the right trick, staging every song inside Roxie Hart’s head, and Catherine Zeta-Jones commands it. Then the editing chops the dancing so fine that the best thing in it is barely visible. ## Synopsis Chicago in the 1920s. Roxie Hart (Renée Zellweger), a chorus girl who has never got past the audition, watches Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones) sing ‘All That Jazz’ at a nightclub and wants the spotlight for herself. Her lover, Fred Casely (Dominic West), has promised her an introduction to the club’s owners; when he admits he made it up, she shoots him. Her husband Amos (John C. Reilly) tries to take the blame and then thinks better of it, and Roxie is sent to the Cook County Jail, where Velma, awaiting trial for a double murder, already rules the women’s block and Matron Mama Morton (Queen Latifah) sells favours for cash. Roxie’s one hope is Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), a lawyer who has never lost a case and charges five thousand dollars to take one. ## Review Rob Marshall’s first film as a director takes the Kander and Ebb stage musical, first staged by Bob Fosse in 1975, and solves the problem that kept it off the screen for a quarter of a century: where do the songs come from? Bill Condon’s answer is Roxie Hart’s head. Whenever the world turns ugly, a drum rolls, a bandleader (Taye Diggs) steps to a microphone, and the scene restages itself in a theatre only she can see. It is a good idea, and for 113 minutes the film rides it hard. The result is brassy, well cast and a proper evening out. It also will not hold still long enough to let us watch anybody dance. Catherine Zeta-Jones is the reason to buy the ticket. She opens the film with ‘All That Jazz’ in black beads, feet planted, chin up, the only member of the cast who moves like a dancer and sings to reach the back of the stalls. Velma has killed two people and would like the papers to spell her name right, and Zeta-Jones never asks us to like her, which is why we do. Queen Latifah, as the jail matron selling favours in ‘When You’re Good to Mama’, has the same ease. When either of them is on screen the film knows exactly what it is. Renée Zellweger has the harder job and does it in a smaller voice. Her Roxie has learned everything she knows about glamour from magazines, and she plays the dramatic scenes with a twitchy, hungry watchfulness that is right for the part. The singing is thin, and in the number named after her, alone on a stage of mirrors, she charms but never takes the stage. Richard Gere talks most of his songs, which suits a lawyer, and his ‘Razzle Dazzle’, with the courtroom turned into a circus ring, is the one big number Marshall lets breathe. It is handsome to look at. Dion Beebe lights the real Chicago in mustard and brown, the jail in cold grey, and the imagined theatre from below through tobacco smoke, so that Roxie’s fantasies always seem to be happening at two in the morning. John Myhre’s cellblock has bars that slide apart to become the set for ‘Cell Block Tango’. Colleen Atwood puts Velma in black and Roxie in silver so you can tell them apart in silhouette. Danny Elfman’s underscore stays politely out of John Kander’s way. Then there is the editing, and we must be blunt. ‘Cell Block Tango’ is six women, six chairs, six confessions in rhythm, and Martin Walsh cuts it so fast that we never see two consecutive seconds of any one of them. A leg goes up; cut; a hand slaps a chair; cut; a face. Hoofing depends on our watching the foot hit the floor, and this film almost never shows us the foot. Our own feet were tapping under the seat, and when the number ended we realised we could not have described a single step, and we were irritated on behalf of a cast that had plainly rehearsed for months so that the cutting room could shred the result. The one number the camera holds still for is ‘Mr Cellophane’, and it is the one that got to us. John C. Reilly, as Roxie’s dim, decent husband Amos, stands under a single bulb in clown make-up and sings about being a man nobody notices, and Marshall does nothing but let him. It is quiet and it is sad, and it is the only point at which the film’s cynicism about fame stops being a pose. There is a later sequence, involving the Hungarian inmate the others call Hunyak (Ekaterina Chtchelkanova), that we will not describe and that stays with us longer than anything in sequins. Fosse put the songs of [*Cabaret*](https://film.one/film/cabaret) (1972) on the stage of the Kit Kat Klub and let the world outside rot while the band played. *Chicago* borrows the shape and loses the chill; it is as pleased with Roxie’s fame as she is, and the reporters who make a star of a killer, led by Christine Baranski’s Mary Sunshine, are cartoons the film never bothers to examine. Still, it has the tunes, it has Zeta-Jones and it has Reilly under his bulb. See it for those. When the dancing starts, try not to blink; the film will do that for you. *Fi1m score 73, published 20 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics enjoy Chicago, and the praise clusters in two places. First, the numbers: Marshall stages the songs inside Roxie’s head, and the majority find this a clever fix for a stagebound show and a lot of brassy fun. Second, Catherine Zeta-Jones, whose Velma is singled out in almost every review, favourable or not. The Kander and Ebb songs and the material’s cynicism about fame and the press are also widely credited with surviving the move to the screen. The reservations gather around the cutting. Screen Daily, Slant and Time Out all complain that the editing is so fast and choppy that the dancing cannot be seen, and even admirers such as Eye for Film object to Marshall cutting away from the numbers to push the story along. Renée Zellweger divides the reviews: The Independent finds her singing wanting, while Slant calls her the film’s revelation. The spread is wide, from raves to outright disappointment. ### Reviews we read (17) - **Evening Standard**, Alexander Walker (90/100, inferred): The film is a rowdy, sassy and raunchy burlesque that resurrects the spirit of great Hollywood musicals with flair and showmanship. Marshall stages the numbers triumphantly, and the cast including Zeta-Jones, Zellweger and Gere deliver a totally unexpected treat. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/musical-delight-7428353.html) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (90/100, inferred): The film is a dazzling song-and-dance extravaganza that continues the reinvention of the musical, with songs staged within Roxie's imagination. It delivers big, brassy fun through its cynical, stagy revue style and strong performances, especially from Catherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/chicago-2002) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Frank Scheck (90/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a screen triumph that delivers the sexy razzle-dazzle hoped for by musical fans, crediting Marshall and Condon with solving structural problems effectively. Strong performances from Zellweger, Zeta-Jones, Gere, and others are highlighted alongside top-notch technical credits. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/chicago-review-2002-movie-959366/) - **Total Film** (90/100, inferred): Chicago is a heady mix of satire, spectacle and sex that revitalises traditional musicals with raw passion and steamy appeal. It stays true to the original while feeling fresh and relevant in a celebrity-obsessed world. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/chicago-review/) - **Radio Times**, Brian Pendreigh (4/5): Praises the spirited adaptation that captures the energy and dark subtext; highlights Zellweger and Zeta-Jones' perfect casting and performances. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-lzwdno/chicago/) - **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (80/100, inferred): The review praises Marshall's debut for turning the songs into imaginative asides while preserving the material's cynical satirical bite and mean wit. It notes the film's flair and confidence in realizing the musical numbers and story of celebrity and media manipulation. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/chicago-1798198320) - **Empire**, William Thomas (70/100, inferred): Chicago is rousing, sassy and hugely entertaining with toe-tapping classics and strong performances from the cast, especially Zeta-Jones and Zellweger. It is stagey and oddly unsexy at times, with Marshall's direction showing his TV background, but it remains a lavishly mounted high time. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/chicago-review/) - **The New York Times**, Elvis Mitchell (NYT Critic’s Pick): The exuberant adaptation is tough, brittle fun that appreciates camp and stages the material cannily. Marshall and Condon create a sweet concoction from the familiar tale, powered by raw energy and the songs' black-silk enthusiasm. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/27/movies/film-review-chicago-bare-legs-and-all-makes-it-to-film.html) - **The Independent** (50/100, inferred): The critic finds Zeta-Jones convincing and in her element as Velma but criticizes Zellweger's singing and appearance as Roxie. John C. Reilly stands out as Amos, and the execution scene lingers as a haunting contrast to the razzle-dazzle. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/chicago-135317.html) - **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (50/100, inferred): The film is a theatrical package of tricks that Marshall struggles to expand beyond flatness, relying on frantic editing of the songs. Catherine Zeta-Jones conquers her role with oomph while the picture is harder on Zellweger. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/01/06/fantasyland) - **Time Out**, GA (50/100, inferred): The critic finds the adaptation slick, cynical and superficial overall, though the tunes and performances are enjoyable; singles out clumsy editing and failure to properly showcase the dancing as major flaws. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/chicago) - **Variety**, David Rooney (50/100, inferred): A stylish cast and clever scripting help the transition from stage to screen with appeal intact, though it dilutes the live show's sizzle and wit. Marshall and Condon deliver a palatable entertainment that falls short in rhythm and personality despite the strong Kander & Ebb score. [Read](https://variety.com/2002/film/awards/chicago-18-1200544433/) - **Screen Daily** (30/100, inferred): The review calls the film a disappointment despite hype, primarily due to relentless fast and choppy editing that prevents appreciation of the choreography and story; praises Zeta-Jones' performance but notes editing issues even there. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/chicago/4011578.article) - **Slant Magazine**, Ed Gonzalez (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a competent but disappointing adaptation that lacks the sophistication, sexiness, and allure of the Broadway revival due to choppy editing and failure to embrace cinematic potential. Zellweger's performance is singled out as a standout revelation. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/chicago/) - **Collider**, Samuel R. Murrian (85/100, inferred): The critic finds Chicago a magnificent, expertly crafted entertainment after a recent rewatch, praising the exuberant performances especially by Catherine Zeta-Jones. They single out the film's flawless razzle-dazzle and biting media satire as highlights, though noting it lacks deeper emotional complexity. [Read](https://collider.com/perfect-musical-movies-21st-century/) - **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's retention of the original musical's spirit and cynical satire, highlighting the flawless performances especially by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renée Zellweger. The main complaint is the director's tendency to cut away from dance numbers to advance the story. [Read](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/chicago-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) - **Paste**, Kyle Turner (70/100, inferred): The critic examines how the 2002 adaptation's satire on fame and exploitation has aged, finding the film excellent as entertainment but less acidic and biting than Fosse's version. They praise its faithful yet romantic approach through Roxie's subjective lens while noting the spectacle's appeal has waned over time. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/chicago/does-chicagos-satire-still-work) ## Details - **Director:** Rob Marshall - **Director:** Rob Marshall - **Screenplay:** Bill Condon - **Cinematography:** Dion Beebe - **Editor:** Martin Walsh - **Music:** Danny Elfman, John Kander - **Production design:** John Myhre - **Costume design:** Colleen Atwood - **Producer:** Martin Richards - **Cast:** Renée Zellweger as Roxie Hart; Catherine Zeta-Jones as Velma Kelly; Richard Gere as Billy Flynn; Queen Latifah as Matron Mama Morton; John C. Reilly as Amos Hart; Colm Feore as Harrison; Dominic West as Fred Casely; Christine Baranski as Mary Sunshine - **Runtime:** 1h 53m - **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13 - **Release (the US):** 24 January 2003 - **Genres:** Comedy, Crime, Drama - **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Winner, 2002); [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Nominee, 2002); [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Winner, 2002) - **Budget:** $45 million - **Box office:** $307 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwXWryx-oJ0 ## Where to watch in the US - Paramount+: streaming, hd - The Roku Channel: add-on, hd - Amazon Prime Video: add-on - Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy $4.99, hd *Checked 2026-09-20.* Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, ES, FI, FR, GB, HU, IE, IN, IT, JP, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2003: Best Actress (nominated); Best Cinematography (nominated); Best Director (nominated); Best Original Song (nominated); Best Supporting Actor (nominated); Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated); Best Costume Design (won); Best Film Editing (won); Best Picture (won); Best Production Design (won); Best Sound (won); Best Supporting Actress (won) - Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Film 2002: Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Film (won) ## If you liked this - *Cabaret* (1972), Fi1m 88: Fosse’s own answer to the same problem, and considerably colder about it — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/cabaret.md) - *Roxie Hart* (1942): Ginger Rogers plays the same murderess as farce, with Chicago’s press as the joke - *Ace in the Hole* (1951), Fi1m 87: Billy Wilder on a reporter who turns a trapped man into a circus — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ace-in-the-hole.md) - *Dancer in the Dark* (2000), Fi1m 71: Songs inside a heroine’s head again, with none of the sequins and all of the cost — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/dancer-in-the-dark.md) - *Singin' in the Rain* (1952), Fi1m 93: Here the camera stands back and lets the dancers finish; see the difference — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/singin-in-the-rain.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/chicago