Before going to see Burlesque, one doesn’t expect much. Much of the hype associated with the movie can be attributed to Cher, starring as Tess, the owner of a burlesque club.
The premise seems to be rather stereotypical: small town waitress, Ali (Christina Aguilera), wants to leave the country in the hopes of being a star, but when she arrives in Los Angeles she soon finds out that it will be a lot harder to accomplish her dreams than she first thought.
This is a rather old storyline, heard by pretty much everyone nowadays. The only major twists to this one are the casting and the performances.
At first glance, anyone would think that Cher and Christina were only cast to increase the star power of the movie, as Cher and Christina aren’t exactly known for their acting abilities. Needless to say, most would expect a shoddy acting job and thin plot line, but Burlesque proves them wrong.
As crazy as it sounds, Aguilera is a great actress. She is not only convincing in her portrayal of Ali but completely magnetic. Whether performing alone or standing next to Cher, Aguilera holds her own.
In fact, she manages to out-perform Cher, and not just in the singing. Although Christina’s singing is absolutely stunning, her acting is even more commendable, mostly because it is unexpected.
Whether she is wearing a corset, fishnets and a thick layer of makeup or just a T-shirt, she is absolutely incredible. Christina easily overpowers the star-power of her co-stars, Julienne Hough and Kristen Bell.
In fact, they’re barely noticeable until the end credits roll.
But there are many things to be said for the supporting cast (a.k.a. anyone not named Cher or Christina Aguilera).
One of the best actors in the movie was Christina’s love interest, Jack (Cam Gigandet). An actor yet to truly make a name for himself in the acting world.
Although he starred as James in Twilight and Kevin on the erstwhile television series The OC, he has yet to truly shine in a movie and fully captivate an audience. In fact, these roles most likely lost Cam a great deal of respect in the acting world.
However, in Burlesque, he was finally able to showcase his talents.
He was able to be an alluring love interest while balancing the role of the average charismatic bartender Ali meets on her first day at The Burlesque Lounge.
Another brilliant casting choice was Stanley Tucci as the Burlesque stage manager and best friend to Cher, Sean.
Tucci has been acting for years, but much of his fame has been received in the past few years, with his starring roles in The Lovely Bones, Julie and Julia and The Devil Wears Prada. Tucci played the role of the eccentric stage manager brilliantly, conveying both a wild and loving spirit.
Although rather detached from genuine emotion for most of the movie, Tucci really comes alive in his scenes with Cher.
The connection between Tucci and Cher is absolutely incredible, as if their acting chemistry were preordained.
The pairing of these two was ingenious, and they fed off one another’s energy, creating instant movie magic. But the movie wasn’t just about the incredible star power of the cast.
There is something to be said for the thin plotline that the audience will no doubt be expecting. Indeed, no one goes to see a movie called Burlesque with the desire for genuine intellectual stimulation, but a fresh plotline is always appreciated.
This movie lacked that. All of the old stories were there, mixed together to form a strange combination of stories.
One must consider Cher’s conflict with the bank, who wants to buy The Burlesque Lounge, Ali’s conflict with Jack, whom she loves, even though he is engaged, Ali’s conflict with Nikki (Kristen Bell), the jealous former star of the Lounge, and the blossoming relationship between Ali and Tess.
It’s a lot to consider, though the outcomes of all of these conflicts are fairly obvious.
Still, there were small surprises throughout the movie to keep the audience interested. The basic resolutions were all as expected, but the paths to these outcomes sometimes deviated from the norm.
Just when a resolution seemed possible, it seemed as if another wrench was thrown into the storyline. None of the twists were much of a big deal, but they were enough to pique the interest of the viewer.
Combine the minor plot twists with the steel lungs of Christina and Cher, a super-charged cast, and a $55 million budget, and you have a pretty decent movie.
It’s nothing new, yet somehow exciting anyway. Blame the glitzy costumes, fancy dance numbers or the star power.
Either way, the familiarity of the movie wasn’t nearly as painfully repetitive as it seems. In fact, it was entertaining.
After a long day of classes, you can head down to the theater, recline back in the seat, and allow the bright lights to assault your eyes.
