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BURLESQUE (2010)Movie Reviews
Musical drama about an ingenue newly arrived in Los Angeles, whose talent on the stage helps rescue an ailing burlesque club. Cast:Christina Aguilera, Cher, Cam Gigandet, Stanley Tucci, Kristen BellDirector:Steve AntinRelease Date:November 24, 2010DVD Release:February 22, 2011From:Screen GemsRating:PG-13Length:1 hr 40 min
Burlesque (2010) played to weak reviews. • Carrie Rickey wrote in the Philadelphia Inquirer, "So much for the plot, a floss-thin line on which to hang razzle-dazzle production numbers..." • And Robert W. Butler wrote in the Dallas Morning News, "Saving the film from disaster are Aguilera and the musical numbers.... As an actress, Aguilera more than holds her own and is very, very watchable." More Reviews Below...
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: MODERATE(cg) "...a shameless vehicle for Christina Aguilera... She can really sing, of course... but the performance is all one note otherwise..."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 695 words, 11/23/10
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: FAIR(cg) "...a showbiz pic for these 'American Idol' times -- when we agree to pretend that mediocre mimicry of better artists is good enough to keep us entertained."(See all of Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 469 words, 11/24/10
Scott Bowles, USA Today: MODERATE(cg) "Musicals may enjoy greater leeway than other genres, but this tale of a cow-town girl who dreams of making it big pushes even Hollywood believability."(See all of Scott Bowles's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 357 words, 11/24/10
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: MODERATE(cg) "...offers burlesque as if it died and went to heaven.... shows Cher and Christina Aguilera being all that they can be, and that's more than enough."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 783 words, 11/23/10
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (13 Reviews)
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: WEAK "...quickly proves achingly dull, with none of the madness, verve or talent of Paul Verhoeven's 'Showgirls' or even the workmanlike energy of Rob Marshall's 'Chicago.' "(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 939 words, 11/24/10
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: WEAK(cg) "...sometimes it's fun to be assaulted by sequins, wigs, corsets and retro homage. But without having to sit through two hours of recycled plots and plastic acting."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 380 words, 11/24/10
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...a safe place for Aguilera to show off her song and dance chops. But it's top-heavy from start to finish. Maybe that's what you do when you have nothing new to say."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 945 words, 11/24/10
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: WEAK(cg) "Most backstage musicals are ridiculous, but this is ridiculous... at its worst/best it's a camp hoot the likes of which we haven't seen in a long time."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 563 words, 11/24/10
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: POOR(cg) "...filled with half-naked dancing girls, yet it's still boring.... doesn't even have the camp potential of a 'Showgirls' or a 'Dirty Dancing'..."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 285 words, 11/24/10
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: MODERATE(cg) "...offers burlesque as if it died and went to heaven.... shows Cher and Christina Aguilera being all that they can be, and that's more than enough."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 783 words, 11/23/10
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: POOR "Instead of leading with what Aguilera does best -- belting, vamping, spotlight hogging -- the movie shoehorns her into a rehashed backstage musical conceit..."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 890 words, 11/24/10
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: MODERATE(cg) "Sex and nudity? Nothing more than you'd see in a TV ad for the Bahamas, unless the sight of someone consuming a banana onstage sounds arousing."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 669 words, 11/24/10
Mick LaSalle, Houston Chronicle/San Francisco Chronicle: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...irresistible... big, perfectly cast and entertaining in every way, but more than that, it feels like a generous public event. See it with a crowd."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 721 words, 11/24/10
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: MODERATE(cg) "Writer-director Steve Antin's got a sense of the modern appeal, but his cutesy script is 'Gypsy' warmed-over -- straight out of the '50s."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 514 words, 11/24/10
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: MODERATE(cg) "A competent, buoyant, busy showbiz fantasy... hits its marks and high-kicks its way offstage just before it gets the hook."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 519 words, 11/24/10
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: MODERATE(cg) "...a predictable story occasionally interrupted by increasingly lavish song-and-dance numbers. That they are the highlight is no surprise."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 436 words, 11/24/10
Robert W. Butler, Dallas Morning News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Saving the film from disaster are Aguilera and the musical numbers.... As an actress, Aguilera more than holds her own and is very, very watchable."(See all of Robert W. Butler's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 599 words, 11/24/10
Mike Russell, Portland Oregonian: MODERATE(cg) "Christina Aguilera has magnificent pipes... Unfortunately, the movie they built around that soundtrack is a clichéd drag that wastes talented actors."(See all of Mike Russell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 218 words, 11/24/10
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: MODERATE(cg) "Without pizazz or a point of view, 'Burlesque' is several steps behind the competition, and in show business, that'll earn you a bus ticket back to Iowa."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 399 words, 11/24/10
Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: GOOD(cg) "There's something for everyone in 'Burlesque,' if everyone likes hoary stage door melodrama punctuated by bombastic musical numbers."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 566 words, 11/25/10
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: VERY GOOD(cg) "...really a showcase for Aguilera. Reminiscent of 'Showgirls' minus the sex, nudity, sleaze, bad acting and horrible dancing... a typical 'A Star is Born' story."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 611 words, 11/26/10
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (9 Reviews)
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: POOR "Instead of leading with what Aguilera does best -- belting, vamping, spotlight hogging -- the movie shoehorns her into a rehashed backstage musical conceit..."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 890 words, 11/24/10
Mack Rawden, Cinema Blend: WEAK(cg) "With a few more catchy songs, one signature tune and a little less muddle in character personalities, 'Burlesque' could have been a little better than average..."(See all of Mack Rawden's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 848 words, 11/26/10
Alexandra Cavallo, Boston Phoenix: WEAK(cg) "...a hackneyed tale... The burlesque dance scenes are better than anything those 'Coyote Ugly' girls had going -- but that's not saying much, is it?"(See all of Alexandra Cavallo's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 194 words, 12/02/10
Nathan Rabin, AV Club: GOOD(cg) "...a terrible film that will delight nearly everyone who sees it... the kind of instant camp classic that audiences enjoy shouting along with countless times..."(See all of Nathan Rabin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 436 words, 11/23/10
Edward Adams, Atlanta Creative Loafing: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "At best, it's campy, predictable and pedestrian. Even with so much missing, its still quite entertaining and really fun."(See all of Edward Adams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 859 words, 11/25/10
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: WEAK "...quickly proves achingly dull, with none of the madness, verve or talent of Paul Verhoeven's 'Showgirls' or even the workmanlike energy of Rob Marshall's 'Chicago.' "(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 939 words, 11/24/10
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...a safe place for Aguilera to show off her song and dance chops. But it's top-heavy from start to finish. Maybe that's what you do when you have nothing new to say."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 945 words, 11/24/10
Jessica Grose, Slate: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...a campy, satisfying showcase for the impressively flashy vocal and sartorial stylings of Cher and Christina Aguilera.... a worthwhile trifle for admirers of either icon."(See all of Jessica Grose's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 681 words, 11/23/10
Peter Debruge, Daily Variety: FAIR "...an overwrought, underwritten hootchy-kootchy tuner that desperately wants to be 'Cabaret,' but lacks the edge and historical context to pull it off."(See all of Peter Debruge's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 941 words, 11/18/10
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: VERY GOOD "...a smart and sassy expedition back to MGM musicals under Arthur Freed, by way of Bob Fosse's jazz-style song-and-dance movies."(See all of Kirk Honeycutt's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,089 words, 11/19/10
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: FAIR "...a safe place for Aguilera to show off her song and dance chops. But it's top-heavy from start to finish. Maybe that's what you do when you have nothing new to say."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 945 words, 11/24/10
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "A guilty pleasure par excellence... writer/director Steven Antin imbues the entire saga with an overtly, but inoffensive campy sensibility..."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 853 words, 11/19/10
Manohla Dargis, New York Times: WEAK "...quickly proves achingly dull, with none of the madness, verve or talent of Paul Verhoeven's 'Showgirls' or even the workmanlike energy of Rob Marshall's 'Chicago.' "(See all of Manohla Dargis's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 939 words, 11/24/10
18.7 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Burlesque (2010)'s reviews are separated by an average 18.7 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Burlesque (2010) (47 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Burlesque (2010)'s reviews cover 85.7% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 28,605 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 609 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 6.7 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Burlesque (2010)'s reviews on average broke 6.7 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Burlesque (2010)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Burlesque (2010) (47 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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