Burlesque (2010 American film)

Alice "Ali" Marilyn Rose (Christina Aguilera) is a young waitress from Iowa who has dreams of becoming a professional dancer ever since losing her mother in her childhood. After her selfish boss refuses to pay her salary, Ali steals from him and moves to Los Angeles, where she attends many auditions with little success. One night, Ali comes across a burlesque club where its owner Tess Scali (Cher) and an entourage of dancers perform an opening number. Ali also meets songwriter Jack Miller (Cam Gigandet) at the club's bar. Jack refers her to Tess for an audition, but Tess tells her to return another time and her assistant Sean (Stanley Tucci) ushers her out. Upon seeing the waitress shortage, Ali picks up a tray and begins serving. As a result, she manages to get a job as a waitress at the club.

When Georgia (Julianne Hough), one of the leading dancers, becomes pregnant, auditions are held in search of a replacement to fill her role. Ali performs a difficult dance routine and eventually persuades Tess to hire her. This infuriates Nikki (Kristen Bell), a lead performer struggling with alcoholism.

Ali replaces Nikki one night to host a performance after the latter is too intoxicated to perform. In a fit of rage, Nikki sabotages the performance by turning off the music that the dancers usually lip sync to until Ali impresses everyone with her singing skills. Her performance is an instant success to which Tess casts her in an upcoming show. Despite the club's growing popularity, Tess struggles with a bank loan having a lien on her ownership rights of the building.

One night after the club closes, Tess grows increasingly worried about her finances before a drunken Nikki shows up, accusing Tess of rejecting their long friendship. In defense of Ali, Tess questions Nikki's gratitude for the help she has received during her binges. In retaliation, a furious Nikki quits after she reveals to have slept with Tess' ex-husband Vince (Peter Gallagher). Tess leaves, angrily smashing the passenger-side window on Nikki's convertible.

Meanwhile, Ali and Jack become romantically attracted. However, Jack is already engaged to Natalie (Dianna Agron), an actress working in New York City. Sean encourages Jack to end the engagement, as Ali is a better person than his shallow fiancée. Marcus (Eric Dane), a wealthy clubgoer, becomes infatuated with Ali, who begins spending time with him, making Jack jealous. At Georgia's wedding, Jack appears to call off his engagement and becomes drunk. That night, Ali and Jack sleep together, beginning an affair. In the morning, Natalie unexpectedly returns from New York and finds the two in bed together. Natalie angrily insists she and Jack never broke up though the latter denies this but asks Ali to leave. Feeling heartbroken and betrayed, Ali runs to Sean for support and learns that Sean is gay. Marcus calls Ali, and Sean prompts her to go out with him.

Ali learns that Marcus is interested in the "air rights" above the club; he hopes to build a skyscraper on the property. Distraught, Ali breaks off her relationship with Marcus. She later tells Tess about his plan, and they inform the owner (James Brolin) of new million-dollar condos being sold across the street. Fearing the obstruction of his prospective purchasers' view, he buys the air rights to the club's property from Tess. She then uses the money to buy out Vince's share, pay off the bank, and redecorate the club in her own vision. Later, a sobered Nikki admits that she lied about sleeping with Vince out of anger, and Tess rehires her.

Ali rekindles her relationship with Jack after he tells her that he broke up with Natalie because she cared more about her job than about their relationship. Having earned Nikki's respect, Ali performs "Show Me How You Burlesque", a song written by Jack, with all of the dancers on stage, delighting the crowd.

Steven Antin's sister Robin was a member of the girl band the Pussycat Dolls.[9] Circa 2002, the group performed at the Roxy Theatre, West Hollywood, with many artists—among them Christina Aguilera—and Steven Antin directed some of these shows.[9] The first outline of the screenplay was written by Antin and Clint Culpepper, the Screen Gems' president. It was about "a girl escaping her life", showing up in a neo-burlesque club and launching a career as a performer.[9]

The exterior of the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre served as the "Burlesque Lounge"

Cher accepted the supporting role of Tess Scali because she wanted to sing in a movie and thought this would be her last opportunity to do so.[10] While on the film set, she went on to praise co-star Christina Aguilera's acting abilities, revealing to Entertainment Tonight: "She was keeping up, and she was hot. I mean, it was, like, she was really up there. Her game is good."[10] Canadian actor Shawn Roberts, who was previously cast in another Screen Gems production Resident Evil: Afterlife, was briefly considered for the role of Jack Miller.[11]

Burlesque started shooting on November 9, 2009[3] and ended on March 3, 2010. Although director Steven Antin wrote the original screenplay, Diablo Cody (Juno) revised it uncredited.[12] It was later further revised by Susannah Grant, also uncredited.[13] Burlesque is Screen Gems' most expensive film, with the exception of the Resident Evil films, with costs of $55 million.[14]

Filming locations included the exterior and adjacent parking as the "Burlesque Lounge" of the Ricardo Montalbán Theatre in Hollywood,[15][16] as well as the interior of the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana.[16]

The film marked Aguilera's film debut and Cher's first musical.

According to Joey Nolfi of Entertainment Weekly, since its release the movie "inspired everything, from drag queen revues to viral internet moments".[9] Nolfi applauded Burlesque as "a campy, niche classic".[9] In 2019, a full-length Burlesque tour, based on the movie, embarked, including at British venues. It starred Farrah Moan as Ali Rose and Chad Michaels as Tess Scali.[47] The Burlesque stage musical was supposed to open at the Paper Mill Playhouse, New Jersey, in autumn 2020, followed by a Broadway theatre adaptation, but the plans were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[48] The movie was also referenced in the third season of the VH1 reality show RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.[49] In a 2020 interview Antin revealed a "hybrid television event/series", based on the movie, was under development.[9]

In January 2021, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue won the gold medal at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. During the 2020–21 season they danced to a medley of Aguilera's Burlesque songs, which included "Express".[50][51]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Burlesque (2010 American film).

• Official website
• Burlesque at IMDb
• Burlesque at AllMovie
• Burlesque at Box Office Mojo
• Burlesque at Rotten Tomatoes