Cabaret
User Score
8.4 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 21 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 21
  3. Negative: 1 out of 21

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  1. lasttimeisaw
    Apr 9, 2013
    9
    A timeless classic! The musical numbers alone are superlative, even the 30-years-younger CHICAGO (2002, 8/10) pales in comparison. My very first Bob Fosse’s film, certainly the film gained its classic fame as the biggest winner of the Oscar in 1973, with 8 wins (including BEST DIRECTOR, LEADING ACTRESS and SUPPORTING ACTOR) and nearly usurped the BEST PICTURE trophy from THE GODFATHER (197972, 9/10), if it had been so, it would be inflicted with much notorious backfire in the film history, but the film itself is an unerring gem among the undying musical genre, my first viewing is a thoroughly exultant experience, and cut and dried, it’s on my guilty-pleasure list.

    It is my first Liza Minnelli’s film as well, the cabaret’s “international sensation” Sally Bowles, an innocuous vamp, Liza grants her role a disarming vitality and quaintly resembles a bobbed Anne Hathaway doppelgänger, not only radiates her grandeur in rendering her doughty-yet-alluring show tunes (she is born to do it), her portrayal of Sally personal life is equally (if not more) affecting, her doe-eyed naivety and unrestrained zest for life, for love, for fame elevate her character as the master of her own fate, her sacrifice may not gain concurrence from motley views of life, but a full obeisance to her independence and pluck is duly earned.

    Michael York, behind his gawky effeminacy, plunges himself into a more contentious venture, Brian Roberts, his character’s bookish bi-sexual temperament is a provocative taboo on big screen (like since ever) and the implicit ménage trois temptation (with Sally and the suave Helmut Griem, whose gentrified debonair is utterly irresistible) has been simmering to the perfect temperature, undergirds a manifestation of initiating a sex-liberation wave (germane to the 70s era while against the Nazi-rising milieu in the film).

    There is a subplot dealing with a bromide of a down-and-out German guy’s infatuation with a rich but prude Jewish girl, there is an ironic twist near the end, however never quite manages to steal the limelight from Sally and Bri, but Marisa Berenson’s placid performance is still worthy of backslapping (the dichotomy of women’s images is a trifle stale though).

    Joel Grey, as the so called “Master of Ceremonies” and won an Oscar (against three fellows from THE GODFATHER), serves only as the performer in the film, no clear attachment with the plot, his musical set pieces are burlesque, risqué but entertaining to the bone, with a strenuous mimicry of German accent, it is a hard-earned honour, although I don’t understand how Al Pacino could lose at any rate.

    The film drops its curtain right before the prevalence of Nazi’s atrocity, the ending with the vague reflections of Third Reich audience occupying the place has sublimated the materialistic razzle-dazzle onto an eerily ominous scope which the film has no interest to tamper but the audiences will intuit what will happen next. A great windup, neat and potent!    … Expand
  2. Tony
    Apr 25, 2011
    8
    "Maybe This Time" was certainly a highlight, and Liza was pretty great, but having never seen this before I can't say that I was blown away. Some of the plot points were surprisingly ahead of its time, and it's production values were impressive, but it just didn't emotionally resonate with me.
  3. CritiqueGirl
    Mar 2, 2011
    10
    Outstanding. No one can sing like Liza. Mein Heir is belted out and is my favorite song. Very funny, off color, sad and thought provoking knowing what is to come to unique everyday people in their unique everyday lives.
  4. tom_prairie
    Jun 8, 2012
    9
    An amazing film, rich with symbolism and meaning, and also a completely diagetic score, which I consider to be a nice change to regular movie musicals. The songs and Minnelli's portrayal of Sally Bowls are the obvious highlights but Fritz Wepper (Fritz) and Marisa Berenson (Natalia) shine in their roles.
  5. LoloTV
    Sep 23, 2012
    10
    An amazing film like no other, "Cabaret" blows it all from story depht, performances and acting to amazing cinematography and art direction. Amazing, amazing, amazing.
  6. Cabaret666
    Sep 12, 2012
    10
    My favourite movie of all time!

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 1 out of 8
  1. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Staff (Not Credited)
    100
    Minnelli and Grey sparkle, and the Fosse flash is everywhere in evidence.
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  2. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Jonathan Rosenbaum
    70
    It's entertaining and stylish, though maybe not quite as serious as it wants to be.
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  3. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    88
    This is no ordinary musical. Part of its success comes because it doesn't fall for the old cliché that musicals have to make you happy. Instead of cheapening the movie version by lightening its load of despair, director Bob Fosse has gone right to the bleak heart of the material and stayed there well enough to win an Academy Award for Best Director.
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