BURLESQUE (PG-13)
MOVIESAL'S GRADE: C-
Cast
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Down and out Ali (Aguilera), whose real name is Alice (Hey, can you guess what pun Stanley Tucci's character is going to make when she arrives in LA?), dreams of being a dancer. But not just any dancer. Oh, no! Alice wants to be...wait for it.
A burlesque dancer.
In a world filled with skimpy clothes, dark, smoke-filled bars, and sensual dancers who don't sing, Alice is something of an outsider. A fish-out-of-water, if you will. But she's a fish with a dream! And as we all know, in Hollywood, dreams ALWAYS come true.
The music pumps and you'll find your toes tapping more than once. I can't deny some of the songs are catchy, but I couldn't tell you what any of the lyrics are or hum any of the tunes. Ultimately, I guess that makes them pretty forgettable.
Stanley Tucci is his usual adorable, amazing self. He's really the only thing worth watching in this otherwise bland movie. He walks through his scenes with his head held high, knowing this is HIS film and he's going ACT THE HELL OUT OF IT. Kristen Bell makes a good villain and rival, as well, though isn't given enough screentime to do much that's truly interesting.
Aguilera has an undeniably great voice, and she belts out the songs just like you'd hope. It's also nice to see an unwillingly-aging Cher get a chance to strut her stuff. The script, however, is a mess. The love story is bland and predictable, the subplot involving the imminent closing of The Little Burlesque Theater That Could is contrived and dull to say the least, and none of the characters are particularly likable or engaging. Many of the lines are groan-worthy, and it's shot in a weird half-light that makes many of the scenes difficult to see. This isn't a movie for people looking for depth or substance. It's a movie for people looking for bodices, hot chicks dancing, and some great singing.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Entertaining? Somewhat
Enlightening: No.
Summary: For pure escapist fun, this will appeal mostly to teens and fans of the cast.
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