Burlesque: Fabulous Film Magic

Rating: 9/10 (25 November 2010)

If you wait out the first 7 minutes of cliché small town girl heads for the big city, you will experience a glorious musical with Cher and Christina Aguilera. Set on the Sunset Strip, Burlesque is the frisky flight of fantasy of writer/director Steve Antin (whose previous claim to fame was the jock jerk in "Goonies").
There are some singer/actors that transcend their medium and undoubtedly Cher is one. Flawless at every point in the film Cher is memorizing in every scene she's in and in every song she sings.
Christina Aguilera is astonishing as the ingénue turned star that demands attention through her character's pure heart and talent.
I note early in this review that this is a flight of fantasy, because there are no scenes where Ali develops her talent for dancing and singing -- she starts and ends the film as talent personified. Having been a student at UCLA, I know all too well that talent and recognition are not compulsory companions. Burlesque is in the same vein of a Gary Marshall film ("Pretty Woman"), but sexier and sometimes smoking hot.
Much of the sexual heat comes from Ms. Aguilera's on screen relationship with Cam Gigandet, who portrays Jack (the lead bartender at Burlesque). In a star making performance, Mr. Gigandet is more than just eye-candy for the divas; he is Ryan Phillippe in "Cruel Intentions", sexy, cool, smart, and a man anyone would long to wake up to and few other men could compete with.
The supporting cast, most notably Stanley Tucci, is superb. Mr. Tucci consistently steels the screen film-after-film. I fear that much of Alan Cummings' performance was left on the cutting room floor. However, Mr. Antin leaves in one comic stage performance from Mr. Cummings that adds some levity to the film.
Mr. Antin lends a steady hand from scene-to-scene and paces the film well at 100 minutes. The music and choreography are perfect at every turn.
Trust me. Drink this film in like champagne, and try not to worry if it's real wine or not, because you will feel like continuing the celebration after the last credit rolls.