Burlesque

A friend of mine recommended this movie, so I thought I'd take a look. I should bill her for the two hours I wasted.

Well, it wasn't a completely useless two hours. The musical numbers are especially well done, with a lot of glitz and imagination, thoroughly enjoyable. It's only when we delve into these players' private, mundane lives that the script fails us.

The whole plot can be summed up in a few words: A waitress (Christina Aguilera) leaves her hick town and journeys to L.A. so that she can get onto the burlesque stage. I know, that last part really doesn't make much sense.

It's a little bit Cabaret, actual stage numbers coupled with flashes of these characters' real lives, only without the biting social commentary. It's a little bit Chicago, only without the well-written plot, scintillating numbers and imaginative dancing.

The plot is totally derivative, a lot of I've-seen-this-before, and doubly tiring. A big mistake was in deciding whether to go for an actress or a singer with a big voice. They chose the latter. But certainly nobody can argue Aguilera's powerful voice. The rest of the time, however, she's just plain boring.

It's interesting to see Cher in a meaty role, although she's almost a parody of herself. She really bellows out the lead number, Burlesque, but after that, she has nothing to add musically.

I enjoyed seeing other actors I recognized - Stanley Tucci, always outstanding, and rising star Cam Gigandet, who is just lost here. In the end, the whole success-or-die plot lies in Christina Aguilera's hands, and she fails, miserably.

Thumb's down.