The one minute intro to this movie had about every cliché imaginable in it. Orphan girl leaves trailer park in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but a great voice and dreams of making it big. Arriving in LA it struck me odd that Ali ( played by Aguilera decked out in Cher´s old wig) walks around with a paper called Back Stage crossing out auditions she did not get, surely in this day and age, it´s all digitalized and Ali should have a Blackberry or smartphone, no?
Stumbling across a burlequeclub she gets mesmerized by the dancers on stage, tries to get a job at the club and have to fight for her right to perform, are you still awake?
There are a few problems with this movie, one is that it does not show what I would call burlesque. I have learned that the American west coast style of burlesque is more reliant on well choreographed (dance) routines. The emphasise is on sexy rather than funny. Even so, the problem with the show-scenes are that they are a big rip of from Fosse´s Cabaret mixed up with Pussy Cat Dolls and there is no burlesque in sight.
Aguilera is a great vocalist but not much of an actor or dancer, she is saved by the surrounding cast but even so she stands out as very one-dimensional. Having her sing in a swarovski embellished costume does not make it burlesque. Cher who we know can act, is in this movie reduced to play a troubled stagemama on the brink of bankruptcy running around with sequined garters and busteirs in every other scene. Same goes for talented actor Stanly Tucci. If good actors are bad in this movie maybe there is hope for Aguilera, who knows?
Funny how in a few scenes I though Cher was doing a song but if was Aguilera, it was not the voice I confused but the face, the make-up department clearly decided that it was not enough with Cher´s left over wigs but that Aguilera had to wear the same make up as the grand old dame as well.
It´s a classic underdog dance movie and it gives you a few laughs but if you think you´re gonna get burlesque forget it, the big finale looks more like a zumba fitness class than real bump and grind.
If you want a predictable feel-good movie, by all means go and see it, if you want burlesque look for tickets at nearby club instead.
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