BURLESQUE **½

Steve Antin wrote and directed this Musical Drama. Watch Preview. Cast: Cher, Christina Aguilera, Eric Dane, Cam Gigandet, Julianne Hough, Peter Gallagher, Alan Cumming, Kristen Bell, Stanley Tucci. Rated PG-13 for sexual content including several suggestive dance routines, partial nudity, language and some thematic material. Running time is one hour and fifty minutes.

Ali (Christina Aguilera) is a small-town girl with a big voice who lands a job as a cocktail waitress from Tess (Cher), the Burlesque club's proprietor and headliner.  The outrageous costumes and bold choreography enrapture the young ingenue, who vows to perform there one day.

The only reasons to watch this film are the performances of Cher and especially Aguilera during their singing/dancing routines . Everyone else in the cast is way in the background with the exceptions of Tucci and Bell, who have a fair amount of screen time but clearly as second bananas. Those who liked Hough on Dancing With The Stars will have trouble recognizing her in her bit part and an even harder time seeing her dance. The plot is almost non-existent but it really doesn't matter since the musical performances carry the film nicely. A large screen with very good sound will add immensely to your enjoyment.