2 Hour Music Video Compilation
Small town girl Ally (Christina Aguilera) grabs the money her boss owes her from the cash register and heads to the big city where she plans to make it big. It is in the city she comes across The Burlesque Lounge run by retired dancer Tess (Cher) and decides that she is going to become a performer and even a rejection from Tess isn't going to put her off, talking handsome barman Jack (Cam Gigandet) into giving her a job as a waitress. But Tess has problems as her ex and still business partner Vince (Peter Gallagher) wants her to sell up to long time member and businessman Marcus (Eric Dane). Maybe Ally who can sing as well as dance is the solution to all Tess's problems even if it causes problems with the main star Nikki (Kristen Bell).
Different name same old movie. It is a phrase I have found myself uttering more times that I care to remember from die-hard imitations to yet another movie about a group of teenagers trying to save the club house. It is the phrase which jumped out at me as I watched "Burlesque" because whilst it is loud, colourful and featuring a young cast of attractive women it also features a story as old as cinema itself with the small town girl trying to make it in the city and having to deal with jealousy. There is even the obligatory nice guy bar tender to give us a bit of romance and romantic issues. And that is the thing which is a problem for "Burlesque" because if the loud musical numbers are not your thing what you have left to entertain you is nothing because it is all too familiar from a story point of view.
Oh but there is something else and that is the styling which director Steve Antin gives "Burlesque" and how do you describe it as at times it feels like "Coyote Ugly" with that sense of everyday realism but the minute we enter the club it becomes fantasy where anything goes and the production suddenly goes big sort of Bob Fosse but at his most excessive and surreal. It makes "Burlesque" weird as it flits from sort of the real world to this fantasy one where dreams come true.
Of course there is that musical side but very little comes close to being burlesque and is more akin to the stuff you see from some all female pop groups with synchronized dancing in sexy outfits. It is why "Burlesque" would probably entertain an audience who watch because they are a fan of Christina Aguilera but also those who like the Pussycat Dolls as at times it almost feels like a 2 hour music video.
What this all boils down to is that "Burlesque" didn't do it for me as the familiarity of the story made it too predictable whilst the musical elements were not what I enjoy from a musical but can understand why a young audience probably would enjoy all the music video style choreography.
