Is "Country Strong" Gwyneth Paltrow's "Burlesque?"

Gwyneth Paltrow can sing. Her upcoming film Country Strong gives us proof of this. In it, she plays Kelly Canter, a troubled and washed-up country singer-planning her comeback. But the more we discover about this little gem of a film, the more it reeks of something we've seen before: the hype of Christina Aguilera's movie, Burlesque.

These two films offer some amazing parallels. One movie attempts to convince audiences that its favorite actress can sing. The other is trying to confirm that our favorite singer can act. Both Paltrow and Aguilera portray strong female leads who happen to be entertainers. Another ironic parallel? While Country Strong features a woman who is already a legend, Burlesque depicts someone who is discovered by an aging star.

Like Christina's slinky production, promoters are starting to hype the crap out of Country Strong, due in theaters on January 7^th. But instead of soaking up every ounce of available airtime on every talk show to make sure that theaters are packed, Country Strong's execs issued a bit of strategy-placing well-timed advertisements in smart places. Instead of shoving Gwyn down our throats, they gave us a tender taste at the CMA Awards: Paltrow's authentic country-singing debut. Armed with an acoustic guitar and a full band, she did America proud, reclaiming yet another Hollywood spotlight.

Somehow, the movie's modest advertisements seem pretty potent. As the film's opening date draws near, we're seeing a few more of those tempting trailers. Yes, this movie could actually be pretty good, we are thinking. Gwyneth even has her very own "Kristen Bell" in actress Leighton Meester-who portrays a hungry up and coming young singer. This movie has Showgirls written all over it-only with country music singers instead of nude dancers. (Ok, so maybe that's a little harsh.)

In all fairness, Country Strong seems like the kind of movie that some wish Burlesque would have been. We have to remember that while Christina's foray into acting has just begun, Paltrow has braved the big screen for 20 years. What's more, the two films are virtual opposites. Sharing little more than the entertainment world as its backdrop, each film has quite the different story to tell, using two completely different genres of music. Rehab, police run-ins, and a believable Southern accent are just a few of the challenges that Gwyneth Paltrow's character has to tackle in Country Strong. We are immediately under the impression that the real story takes place off the stage. In Burlesque, little Ali Rose comes alive under the "lights, camera, action!"

Sure, it's unfair to lump these two movies into the same category. But where marketing and advertising is concerned, you've got to ask yourself how much of a coincidence the timing of these film releases really is. Are we attempting to warm up fans with the notion of regurgitating flailing music careers, by making singers out of actors? Or are we paving the way for more musicians-turned-actors to leave their posts behind the microphone? The whole thing can get really confusing. In any event, Gwyneth Paltrow appears to be amassing much respect in the entertainment world for her daring venture into country music. Will we love Country Strong as much as we "kinda liked" Burlesque? The opening weekend profits on January 7^th will certainly be our first clue.

SOURCES:

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