The Producers Movie Review Examples

The play I saw was “The Producers.” I saw it at Saginaw Valley State University. I saw it on April 11, 2014. The play was inspiring and as close to the original Broadway production as I could have hoped for at a university showing.
The actors went off the original script; the playwright for “The Producers” is Mel Brooks. The play is also a musical, which contained the original composition done by Mel Brooks, as well. As it turns out, Mel Brooks was also the lyricist of the play. The play was written in 1968 and is representational and presentational, set in the late 1960’s. The plot held my attention; it was funny and interesting, but it was not difficult to follow or confusing. The characters represented themselves well. The protagonist of “The Producers” is Leo Bloom; he is the only one who manages to change his ways. He begins as a quiet, mild, timid accountant, to a loud, abrasive, courageous producer. The primary conflict of the play is a struggle between the desire for money and the desire for decent inner morals. I loved the music; it was fun and lively. I thought it supported the story and lifted the plot. I thought Mel Brooks was trying to communicate how alluring money can be; it seems like a good idea to go after it, to forsake who you are, but in the end, it is not worth the effort.
The director of this production was Ric Roberts. He made the play very clear. The actors acted appropriately, taking many directions from the original play. The pacing varied, but sometimes seemed to slow too much, leaving the plot lagging a little. The play was coordinated successfully. It was cohesive; nothing was confusing or jumbled. The choreography was terrific. The entire crowd was captivated by the dancing and singing.
The actors were believable, and they did perform as an ensemble in many scenes. Many did project and enunciate. However, I did notice that Dakotah Myers as Max Bialystock did sometimes fall too quietly to be heard. Isaac Wood did the best as Leo Bloom, wearing the character as he would a familiar sweater. Wood was very charismatic and funny. He integrated facial expressions and body movements without being a caricature. Lexeez Longwell played Ula. She was believable, but primarily ineffective compared to the rest of the cast.
The set designer was Michelle Orwell. The set was indicative of the period. It also indicated the character’s situation, as well as their personalities. It was not so realistic that I would have thought I was on the street in New York or California. The colors were vibrant but did not overwhelm the design. It made the atmosphere fun and exciting; the set coordinated well with the costumes.
Rose San Miguel was in charge of costumes. The costumes indicated that the characters were on the higher or lower ends of poverty in the late 1960’s. Some were in fine suits while others wore shaggier attire. The costumes fit the personalities of the characters very well. As social statuses began to rise, costumes became classier. The costumes also helped shed light on the relationship between characters. However, sometimes the costumes seemed out of places with the set; the costumes were very no-nonsense while the set was very vibrant.
Head of lighting was Genesis Garza. The lighting would set the mood for certain scenes though it did not do anything to tell me what period it was. It said a lot about the situation the characters were about to experience. Lights reds and yellows dominated the lighting scheme, making it slightly unrealistic. It did provide adequate visibility. The lighting changes were made quickly and slowly, depending on the situation. I began to know the swiftness of the situation with how quickly the lights would change. The lighting toned down the set sometimes, hiding its vibrancy.
Overall, I enjoyed “The Producers.” Isaac Wood’s portrayal of Leo is what I enjoyed the most. He was very charismatic and funny; it was hard not to enjoy his presence. The musical numbers were also not lost on me. It was irritating straining to hear Myers when he would fall almost silent during some of his lines, but beyond that, I would say everything was near perfect. The play was satisfying, and I would recommend it to anybody looking for a fun musical.