Readers Request - Burlesque

Stream it on Netflix. 

Rent it on Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play, and YouTube. 

This one is a bit of a strange entity. I am a fan of both of the talented singers who star in this film. Yet I never got to see it when it was initially released—partly because the trailer reminded me of Chicago. That ugly, sexist, misguided, barely remembered crap that inexplicably won Best Picture at the Oscars. So, when I saw the trailer for today's film, Burlesque, I naturally conjured up memories of the other terrible film I no longer want to name. Not to mention coming across to me as yet another "Country Girl becomes A Star" cliche storyline. 

When I first saw the trailer for this film, I immediately brushed it off as a lame attempt to cash in on a fad that had already passed. Then, when a reader requested I review this film, I took it upon myself to see if my suspicions were correct. Now, having seen the movie, I am happy to report that my prior inclinations were wrong. Burlesque may not be the most original story, and it does make a few mistakes here and there (more on that in a moment), but it is, in actuality, a fun and upbeat foot-tapping blast. I enjoyed this film much more than I thought I would, and not for the obvious reasons. If nothing else, it is probably the best possible anthesis of Chicago. 

The story follows a young girl named Ali (Christina Aguilera) who leaves her small hometown in Utah (I think) to make a new life for herself in Los Angeles. A gifted performer, she looks for work in the arts, only to hit constant rejections. That is until she finds a little place called Burlesque, a bar/performance space stylized right out of the prohibition era, run by a cool ex-performer named Tess (Cher) and her best friend, Sean (Stanly Tucci). Through a series of shenanigans, some cliche and some clever, Ali gets the opportunity to showcase her impeccable singing voice, drawing in more crowds than the club has ever seen before. Which is lucky for Tess, since she is about to lose the club to a bank foreclosure, and needs all the extra money she can make. Will Ali's voice be enough to save Tess's pride & joy? Only one way to find out. 

Burlesque is a prime example of the difference between being sexy vs. being sleazy. Yes, the performers are all scantily clad women performing exotic-style dances with suggestive themes, but it does so in a way that is less erotic and more playful. Also, they're not only playing for men. It's not a strip show; it's a sexual parody. No one involved in the show feels degraded, nor are they ever treated as objects. It's a showcase of classic performance art. On top of that, the dance numbers themselves are incredible. There are so much energy and enthusiasm in each number that it makes you want to get up and move around yourself. 

As I said at the beginning of this review, I enjoy Christina Aguilera and Cher as singers. They both have memorable songs and fantastic voices. Christina Aguilera especially has always been a listening joy. The two divas (and I mean that positively) showcase their musical talents incredibly well in the film, though Christina has more songs than Cher. 

The MVP award has to go to Stanly Tucci, who has always been one of my favorite actors. He gets to be the "cool uncle" character who supports everyone and still has something wise to share, not to mention Stanly Tucci delivering his usual high-level charisma. I am utterly convinced that, much like Samuel L. Jackson, Stanly Tucci could not give a poor performance even if he tried. 

While I did genuinely enjoy this movie, it was not without its flaws. As I said, the story is yet another retread of the classic country girl going to Hollywood seeking fame and everything that cliched story entails. Including a love triangle between our heroine, a wealthy suave jackass, and a starving musician. While the film does tell this classic story in an incredibly fun way, it's still the same story of "A Star is Born" that we've seen many times before. It might have been better if it did something to subvert expectations, if not transcend them somehow, but it never does.

Also, as much as I loved Stanly Tucci in his role, the film has the absolute gall to include Alan Cumming in the cast, another favorite actor of mine, and only give him, at most, three total minutes of screentime. If you're going to have Alan Cumming in your show, then use him, don't just plop him in the background like a prop. 

I should also mention that the sound design of the film is not quite right. When the dance parts are going, and the music is swelling, it sounds fine. Until we get to some of the dialogue scenes, the sound turns way down to damn near inaudible. I could not tell if this was an issue with my sound system of the film itself. In any case, be prepared to turn up the sound a little bit when watching.

Burlesque is a pleasant surprise of a movie. It may not have much in the way of originality or profound storytelling, but at least it doesn't treat the audience like idiots. It knows just what it is and what it wants to be, and is not embarrassed about it in the slightest. If you need a fun, bright, and upbeat distraction for ninety minutes, give this one a shot. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm, thank you all for reading.