3-1/2 stars out of 5
Is this a great movie? Not by a long shot. Is it a good script? No, sort of silly, really - predictable and trite. Is it fun to watch? To quote the disturbingly ubiquitous Sarah Palin (why am I quoting HER???), you betcha!
It has a great feel to it, it's beautifully photographed and has sort of a Chicago/Moulin Rouge vibe. Okay, so it's off-and-on campy. But that's okay, it kind of worked for me. Mostly it's simply a vehicle for Cher to show off how good she looks (if you like that plastic, my-lips-don't-move-any-more kind of look) and how she still has a great voice (if you liked her voice to begin with, which I did and do). Her last number in the film is gratuituous - comes out of nowhere and ends with a Jimmy Durante walk-off. Stupid. But I liked watching her anyway.
And it's also just a vehicle for Christina Aguilera, who's a surprisingly decent actor besides having an incredible voice, and not least of all beautiful with an incredible body. In one of her big numbers she's in a slinky, green, off-the-shoulder dress which threatens to just fall right off as she's singing. Maybe by the time you see it it will actually fall. That'll be fun.
Stanley Tucci is fun to watch, as always. Peter Gallagher plays Cher's ex-husband and I didn't buy that at all - there's not a millimeter of chemistry between them - and his part could have ended up on the cutting room floor with no loss to the film.
There's much made of the "throwing up everything but your memories" line but there was another that I liked even better. Too bad I can't remember what it was. I'll update if it comes to me!
All in all, I walked out of the theater smiling so I guess that's my recommendation.
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