Burlesque

I was expecting 'so bad it's good' when I sat down to watch Burlesque but it quickly became apparent this musical was going to be much better than that.
Considering it stars Cher, who despite being an Oscar winner isn't noted for her acting, and Christina Aguilera in her film debut this is a pretty decent surprise.
Christina is Ali, a girl from Iowa who leaves for LA because she didn't want the life of anyone in her home turn. We discover early she can sing, and sing pretty damn well.
When she arrives in LA she looks for a job and at the end of a hard day of rejections she comes across the Burlesque Lounge, run by Tess (Cher), and decides this is where she will find a job.
She befriends bartender Jack (Cam Gigandet, who is becoming a good actor) and lands a gig as a waitress.

The club is in financial trouble and when Ali finally puts her voice on display Tess decides she is the ticket to getting the club out of the red.
There are a few excellent songs along the way, including Cher's brilliant 'You Haven't Seen The Last Of Me', and the music overall is simply great.

What appealed to me, particularly early on, is how good Christina looked as the 'girl next door'. Her character had a bit of depth and while she morphed into the Xtina that has been around for the last few years underneath she was still the same country girl.

Cher was playing Cher, largely, but there's something about her that just grabs your attention. The support cast including Stanley Tucci and Alan Cumming is strong as well.
Given Burlesque was written for the screen and isn't based on a musical, like Chicago for example, it stands up very, very well. It's not a screen classic by any stretch but it certainly isn't the 'so bad it's good' movie it has been reviewed as. It's fun, a bit on the camp side, and entertaining. And that's all you can ask.
A 7.5 out of 10.