Review

Review Date: 28-November-10
Spoiler Rating: Low
Juju Judgment: Juicy

Burlesque (2010)

Pumpkin pie is the standard of the season, but if you prefer your sugar less refined you can help yourself to Burlesque. Steve Antin's bump-and-grind musical is pure pop candy which upholds tradition as well as a flaky crust. Several traditions, in fact. The central character, Ali (Christina Aguilera), and her destined dreamboat (Cam Gigandet) are yokels chasing dreams in the big city, which in this case is Los Angeles. She's an Iowa ingenue with a huge voice and a heart of gold; he's a Tennessee tenderfoot who writes music he's afraid to let anyone hear. They meet at a burlesque club owned by a showwoman who excels at her craft but sucks at finance: she's about to lose her livelihood to a bank or smarmy developer unless some miracle intervenes. A tradition unto herself, Cher contributes a kind of tabloid gravitas to this role, backed by Stanley Tucci in his now familiar Rupert Everett My Best Friend's Wedding mode. Through sheer pluck, Ali works her way into the show and becomes indispensable to everyone by shining her light. Rivalry and jealousy rear their ugly heads, but her eventual success proves that love conquers all, families stick together, and talent and faith are rewarded.

Not surprisingly, another tradition upheld by Burlesque is the portrayal of an ideal woman as both a virgin and a harlot. To enjoy the movie's glitzy pleasures, one must suspend judgment on Ali's dream of parading around in feathers and bullet bras and accept that she is a bright-eyed honey who just wants to express herself. Aguilera's unschooled acting style and earthy sex appeal go a long way towards making this seem plausible, or at least plausible enough in the context of the story. Her basic charms get a boost when she unleashes the torch singer within. Aguilera really does shine when belting out tunes from flirtatious ("Guy What Takes His Time") to passionate (the excellent ballad "Bound to You") and, like all pop stars, she can pull off some decent moves while wearing very little. Not to be upstaged by the next generation, Cher dons fishnet stockings for the opener and later sings a fine paean to persistence entitled "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me." Both women are sufficiently compelling as instruments of age-old fantasies about happy endings and feminine allure. Burlesque doesn't boast originality or an overabundance of class, but it can give you a candy-coated kick.

Copyright © 2010 The Jujube (M. I. Kim). All rights reserved.