Abby’s Review: ‘Burlesque’ Exceeds Expectations

GRADE: B+

How must Britney Spears feel? While she’s been in and out of the news for a shaved head and parenting problems, Christina Aguilera continues to produce hit albums and now, a hit movie. Burlesque, a sexier version of Chicago, combined a great cast, with even better music, making a film that far exceeded expectations.

Aguilera is first and foremost a singer and her killer voice made up for her less-than-Oscar-worthy acting skills. Throughout the movie, I found myself waiting, in anticipation, for the next song. The dancing, although not as challenging as the numbers in Chicago, were also impressive. Sometimes comical and always sexy, the choreography added to the unbeatable music. Another artist, Cher, also played a large role in the film. Her acting was slightly more believable than Christina’s, but she was shorted on song numbers.

The rest of the cast was filled with big names and plenty of talent. Kristin Bell, hardly recognizable with her dark, died hair, played Christina’s rival, Nikki. Although she’s no Cher, Bell can certainly sing. Peter Gallagher took on the role of Cher’s newly ex-husband and part owner of the burlesque club. Eric Dane, of Grey’s Anatomy, played Christina’s love interest and Glee’s Dianna Agron, his fiance. As usual, Stanley Tucci played the role of the gay best friend beautifully, providing comic relief during the heavier parts of the flick.

The overall plot left a little to be desired. It was the typical story of a girl from a small town who heads to Hollywood in the pursuit of stardom. Tie in the usual love story of choosing between the rich, successful businessman and the nice, starving musician and you have a plot that managed to combine two cliches into one storyline.

But the burlesque approach made up for its predictability. While musicals seem to be all the rage lately, just look at Glee, Chicago, Nine and Fame, Burlesque’s killer vocal talents and slinky costumes and dancing helped it stand out from the rest. After all, sex sells.

What Do You Think? Discuss.