Burlesque

Steve Antin

Overview

Christina Aguilera makes her dramatic feature-film debut with this Screen Gems musical as a burlesque dancer who finds her dreams in the big city after leaving her small-town roots far behind. Steve Antin directs from a script by Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich), with a cast that includes Cher, Stanley Tucci, Kristen Bell, Alan Cumming, and Eric Dane.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/01/2011
UPC:	0043396366381
Original Release:	2010
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Sony Pictures
Region Code:	1
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:59:00

Special Features

See 6 Entire Song Performances; Featuring Christina Aguilera, Kristen Bell and the Dancers!; Alternate Opening; Blooper Reel; Director's Commentary

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Cher	Tess
Christina Aguilera	Ali
Stanley Tucci	Sean
Kristen Bell	Nikki
Peter Gallagher	Vince
Alan Cumming	Alexis
Julianne Hough	Georgia
Dianna Agron	Natlie
Glynn Turman	Harold Saint
David Walton	Mark the DJ
Terrence J	Dave
Chelsea Traille	Coco
Tanee McCall	Scarlett
Tyne Stecklein	Jesse
Paula Van Oppen	Anna
Isabella Hofmann	Loretta
Stephen Lee	Dwight,Can Can Dancer
Denise Faye	Preacher
Baldeep Singh	Ali's Hotel Manager
Michael Landes	Greg
Wendy Benson	Marla
Tisha French	Loft Assistant
Katerina Mikailenko	Brittany
Jay Luchs	Party Guest at Marcus' House
Katelynn Tilly	Ditsy Waitress
Gwen Van Dam	Curler Woman at Grundy's Bus Stop
Blair Redford	James/Bumper Band Member
Taylor Graves	Bumper Band Member
Adam Driggs	Bumper Band Member
Alvino Lewis	Bumper Band Member,Main Dancer
Jimmy R.O. Smith	Bumper Band Member,Dancer
Leah Katz	Bumper Band Member
Sarah Mitchell	Main Dancer
Tara Nicole Hughes	Main Dancer
Aisha Francis	Main Dancer
Deanna Walters	Main Dancer
Loriel Hennington	Main Dancer
Alfred Thomas	Bartender
Robert Kirkland	Bartender
Sean Van Der Wilt	Bartender
Corey Anderson	Bartender
Timor Steffens	Bartender
Jaquel Knight	Bartender
Samantha Abrantes	Can Can Dancer
Michelle Brooke	Can Can Dancer
Jamie Lee Ruiz	Can Can Dancer
Viktoria Shvartsman	Contortionist
Shannon Beach	Contortionist
Jeskilz	Dancer
Jenny Robinson	Dancer
Talia-Lynn Prairie	Dancer
Meredith Ostrowsky	Dancer
Katie Norman	Dancer
Micki Duran	Dancer
Ashley Ashida Dixon	Dancer
Tiana Brown	Dancer
Jersey Maniscalco	Dancer
Allison Kyler	Dancer
Audra Griffis	Dancer
Jacquelyn Dowsett	Dancer
Jonathon Trent	Damon/Bumper Band Member
Terrence Jenkins	Dave
Catherine Natale	Curler Woman's Friend
Eric Dane	Actor
Christophe Beck	Composer

Technical Credits

Steve Antin

Steve Antin	Director,Screenwriter
Stanley Tucci	Director
Alan Cumming	Director
Christina Aguilera	Director
Eric Dane	Director
Dianna Agron	Director
Dana Belcastro	Producer,Executive Producer
Ginette Gauthier	Producer
Risa Shapiro	Producer,Executive Producer
Stacy Cramer	Producer
Glenn S. Gainor	Producer
Geoffrey Hansen	Producer
Bernard Weiser	Sound Effects
Joseph Dianda	Key Grip
Stacy Kolker Cramer	Executive Producer

Editorial Reviews

Cher has altered her face into something so abnormal that she's pretty much incapable of playing a regular person. Luckily, Burlesque director/writer Steve Antin isn't terribly interested in making his movie about regular people, and he's managed to find exactly the right tone to make his ridiculously flashy backstage musical work. Although the former Mrs. Bono is certainly the heart and soul of Burlesque, the star is Christina Aguilera, who plays Ali, the stereotypical Midwestern girl who dreams of making it as a singer and dancer in the big city. She packs up, moves to L.A., and hustles her way into a waitressing gig at Burlesque, a nightclub run by the demanding Tess (Cher) along with her gay co-manager, Sean (Stanley Tucci). Quickly Ali teaches herself the various routines performed by the club's crew of dancers, but her attempts to make it into the cast are shot down, especially by the club's bitchy, alcoholic star, Nikki (Kristen Bell). Of course there's a love interest as well. Ali befriends Jack (Cam Gigandet), one of the bartenders at the club, eventually moving in with him even though he's happily engaged to a woman living in New York City. And while it's obvious that they're perfect for each other, Marcus (Eric Dane) -- a millionaire with an eye for real estate and fine women -- starts putting the moves on her while trying to buy the financially struggling club from Tess. There are many laughs in Burlesque, and most of them are intentional. Just about everyone in the cast is on the same page; they understand exactly the kind of movie they're making and relish the opportunity to play theatrical -- though never exactly over-the-top -- stereotypes. The lone exception is Aguilera, who is a genuinely formidable singing talent. Her soulful growl has an intensity and a focus that demands your attention, but her acting doesn't have any of that command. When Ali is alone with Jack, it's easy to stop paying attention to the movie. Luckily, the other actors really savor the scenery they get to chew. Cher may no longer resemble her former self (from some angles Tess' face brings to mind the killer's mask from Scream smeared with heavy makeup), but the woman is a born performer who understands exactly what's expected of her. Her catty one-liners land dependably, although they lack the sparkle and wit of Stanley Tucci's put-downs -- unsurprisingly, he's the best thing in the movie. Kristen Bell dives head-first into the role of the club's resident mean girl, and it's a kick to watch her character face off against Cher's. Burlesque certainly won't appeal to everyone, but it has integrity and it's competently made. That may sound like faint praise, but it's not meant to. Antin knows how to shoot dancers, he manages to squeeze the effortlessly perverse Alan Cumming into a too-brief cameo, and the soundtrack is loaded with numbers that allow Ali to show off what Nikki refers to as her "mutant lungs." Sure, the whole thing is obvious and silly and ridiculous, but Burlesque is really comfortable in its own skin.