,January 13, 2011 (Australian release date)
Dir: Steve Antin
Small town gal moves to the big smoke and becomes a star - yes it's really that easy to sum up this film.
Christina Aguilera plays Ali, a waitress who dreams of more to life than serving fries and being paid late. Cher plays Tess, a ballsy part owner of a down and out burlesque bar in Los Angeles. Rounding out the surprisingly star studded cast is Kristen Bell, the boozed up burlesque star with a fading light; Cam Gigandet, the hot bar tender/ love interest/ songwriter, Stanley Tucci as Sean, in charge of costumes and all things gay, and Eric Dane as the "evil property developer" Marcus whose plans for the burlesque bar involve tearing it down.
Burlesque is screenwriting 101 for cheap entertainment; the dialogue is cliched, cringe-worthy, laughable and all together fabulous. Yes, this girl was pulled hook, line and sinker into this trashy glitter-fest of a film.
There are two types of people in the world - those who love the business called show, and those who don't. Having given up my own attempts at a life on the stage, dropping out of jazz ballet at the tender age of 7, I developed a fascination and love for Hollywood musicals. Over the top dance and song sequences, outrageous and inspiring costumes, these are the building blocks for a great show. Sure there needs to be a good story in there somewhere but if you've got the glitz and glam you can usually make it through on a shoestring plot. Burlesque has a shoestring plot - it's got tinges of Coyote Ugly in there as well as and ode to Cabaret, and many have thrown Showgirls into the mix, though this reviewer is reluctant to admit she has never seen it. But wait until you see the numbers they pull out on stage! Plot, schmot - Burlesque is some of the best fun you'll have in a cinema unintentionally.
It's undeniable that Aguilera has one amazing set of pipes, though her range varies from 'belting' to 'extreme belting'. Her acting skills do leave a lot to be desired, this should come as no shock, but thankfully her stilted performance only adds to the enjoyment I had laughing at this film. Yes this is a case of laughing at, rather than laughing with. Although there is plenty of intentional humour sprinkled throughout the film the biggest laughs came from the unending clunky dialogue and awkward scenes.
While Aguilera carries the film vocally, Cher being the legend that she is, makes Burlesque more than a 90 minute Aguilera music video. While some may hastily, and all too easily, label her a train wreck, she is not only an icon but one hell of an entertaining performer for someone with limited facial movement. She gets the best lines in the film, "I held you while you threw up everything but your dreams" (I may be paraphrasing here), and even gets the most meaningful song in the film - though for pacing this should have been edited out.
Burlesque is something of a return to the old days of Hollywood where musicals were churned out by the "Dream Factory". The difference nowadays is the talent behind the films. Gone is the trifecta - actors or actresses who could sing, dance and act in equal measure. Instead we have musicians wanting to act, actors wanting to sing and every dance involving a chair! Yes if in doubt of ability and talent dance with a chair - we saw it in Chicago and in the disaster that was Nine - I must know who in Hollywood is giving their OK to this?
Burlesque also captures the innocence of Old Hollywood musicals where despite the debatable seediness of the setting, nothing is shown and everything is eluded to, not only in the club but also in Ali's personal relationships - the fact that despite Marcus' advances she doesn't physically commit speaks volumes for the type of film Steve Antin has created. This is an all singing, all dancing, sparkly, over the top musical which lays its cards on the table from the opening scene. It's not trying to be groundbreaking or revolutionary, it's not even trying to be a classic, it just is what it is.
It would be easy to instantly dismiss a film like Burlesque but for lovers of musical cinema, for lovers of pop music, for lovers of Cher (there must be some out there!) Burlesque is a giddy cinematic experience best shared with like minded friends. This is a film that demands after viewing discussions, repetition of lines, renewed laughter and the bold statement "We HAVE to see that again!"
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