Wonderful Updated Musical

Rating: 8/10 (14 February 2013)

Since society is enthralled by glorified, flashy material, it's no surprise that musicals have veered from performing typical upstanding show tunes and wholesome dances to much more modern and scandalous versions, as shown with the movie Burlesque. The classical musical is all grown up, and Burlesque is the perfect movie to showcase the features of the updated musical.
As the movie begins, the audience can't help but inwardly groan to themselves, as Burlesque seems to be just another cliché about an aspiring young woman trying to make it in Hollywood as a performer. The standard, boring storyline. However, as the movie progresses the audience realizes there is much more to it than meets the eye, exemplifying a plot twist found in most flicks nowadays. The story of the main character, Ali, trying to succeed in Hollywood by performing at the Burlesque night club quickly spirals into a struggle to save that beloved club.
Although the plot lacked substantial substance and there was no ulterior motive for the production of the movie, the chemistry of the characters combined with fabulous musical numbers and costumes made for excellent entertainment. Christina Aguilera, who played the role of Ali, was the ultimate combination of sexy and sweet. Her character had a certain charisma about her; a mix of sheer determination, stubbornness, and confidence made her immediately likable. Cher played Tess, the Burlesque night club owner, and even though her untraditional beauty is off-putting at first, the audience grows to love her as she becomes a mentor for Ali.
And of course, no one can forget about Jack. Played by actor Cam Gigandet, Jack is much more than just flawlessly sculpted muscles, a chiseled jaw line, and piercing eyes. He's the good guy in Ali's life (even though she doesn't realize it). The audience encourages his blooming feelings for Ali, since we recognize that he treats her right and makes her happy.
Pushup bras and skimpy costumes that could easily be mistaken for lingerie are omnipresent throughout the movie, but with the expertly choreographed dances and Christina Aguilera's unbelievable voice (especially a breathtaking a cappella solo), the movie manages to keep the movie tasteful as much as possible. All the sparkles, sequins, and glamorous sets will not fail to make everyone, regardless of age or sex, wish they could have their moment on stage just like the girls in Burlesque.
If you're looking for a movie that you need to be actively and continuously processing in order to understand the story, Burlesque is not the movie for you. Rather, Burlesque allows the audience to passively and comfortably watch, but as they do, their mind can't help but wonder if the dreams they've been holding back on can truly be achieved after all.