Magic Mike (2012)

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

Starring: Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Matt Bomer, Alex Pettyfer, Olivia Munn, Adam Rodriguez, Joe Manganiello, Gabriel Iglesias and Cody Horn

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Rated: R

Mike (Tatum) is an aspiring entrepreneur – he manages a construction company, does car detailing, and longs to create his own business selling custom-made furniture. He also strips in order to finance these side-projects at a club he co-owns with his friend Dallas (McConaughey). On a roofing job, he meets Adam (Pettyfer), a struggling kid living on his sister’s couch. Mike takes Adam under his wing and introduces him to the world of male-stripping and everything that comes with it. While Adam gets sucked into this lifestyle of money, drugs and women, Mike finds it lacking and longs for something more.

Before launching into a full critique of the film, I have to warn the viewers: Despite the way the film is marketed in the previews, this is NOT fully a comedy. There is a darker storyline addressed here that killed the mood for some audience members. I went to the film to have a good time, and the darker aspects of the film took me by surprise. The story actually takes a bit of a depressing turn halfway through, taking away the fun aura that had engulfed it in the beginning.

That being said, this was not a great film – but, it being about a group of male strippers that includes some well-known Hollywood hunks, we can doubt that most in the audience are looking for some Oscar-worthy material. While the story is loosely based on Tatum’s life prior to Hollywood, it didn’t feel original to me. There was one scene between Bomer, Pettyfer and two women in a bedroom that I felt I’d seen almost word-for-word in another film.

I really couldn’t bring myself to care about any of the characters in the film. Mike is a charming ladies’ man, who seems to have other wants and dreams, but the film never really focuses on that. His charm and humor are likable, but ultimately, I really didn’t care where he ended up. Brooke (Horn) is just flat and boring as Mike’s love interest. Dallas is a sleazy, conceited former stripper with a silver tongue. Adam is likable at first, but as he gets more involved in the lifestyle, he becomes a jerk. The rest of the men in the film were really just there to look good, their characters fairly interchangeable.

Performance-wise, Alex Pettyfer probably gave the best one as “The Kid.” He had to portray the loss of innocence as he slowly gets sucked into this new world. McConaughey was fun as Dallas. Horn’s acting was wooden, and Tatum has never really struck me as anything more than a pretty face with amazing dance skills. Lastly, were we really supposed to buy comedian Gabriel Iglesias as a drug dealer? All I could think of when he was onscreen was “I’m not fat, I’m fluffy!” I love his stand-up, but this was not the role for him.

Now, for the dancing/strip-scenes:   Tatum had the best dance moves by far, but McConaughey’s striptease is the most memorable. All of the segments are well-choreographed, especially the group acts. I did feel that the writhing of the male package in the female audience member’s faces was a bit much and not sexy at all. Otherwise, these scenes were fun and enjoyable for both the choreography and the half-to-fully naked men.

On the nudity, there is definitely more male nudity than female in this film; however, Olivia Munn does bare her breasts. Fully bare bottoms include Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer and Matthew McConaughey. Rodriguez, Bomer and Manganiello rock the thongs. The eye candy is worthy of a decent rating alone.

Overall, the story is fairly unoriginal and the characters really aren’t anything special. It is entertaining in many places, but there is also a darker, more dramatic part of the story. There is great eye candy and choreography but the film isn’t a must-see.

6/10