Magic Mike
Go! Fine film encased in gleaming abs.
The undulations of male stripping.
As I walked to my seat, the young lady in the row in front turned to her boyfriend and whispered, without irony, "You see, there is another man here". As the trailers ended, an older lady began whooping, giggling and clapping, as if she was about to spend a salacious night with Chris De Burgh. With that, I admitted that I, a late-20's straight male, am not the target demographic for this film. But with Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh interpreting the classic "man-meets-man, man-introduces-man-to-stripping, man-experiences-the-highs-and-lows-of-being-objectified-by-women" tale, it seemed worth the trip. Treading water in a sea of estrogen and looking up at the screen - a colourful ocean liner filled with testosterone - here is was, hoping it could be the Boogie Nights of the second millennium. It was not quite that, but neither I nor the cackling women in the front row were disappointed.
Starring Channing Tatum (21 Jump Street), the ever-enthusiastic Matthew McConaughey (Killer Joe) and Alex Pettyfer (In Time), Magic Mike is light-hearted and very well shot. Soderbergh bravely commits his actors to an extremely intimate style, putting the camera in their faces and leaving them nowhere to hide. For the most part, this produces some deeply engrossing moments, bathed in yellowy Floridian light. However, Tatum and Pettyfer often fail to hold such close attention, leaving their improvised dialogue hit and miss. On the other hand, Tatum's love interests – played by Cody Horn and Olivia Munn - are both consistently striking. Horn in particular carries many of her scenes. But as decent as all of that is, the real star is Matthew McConaughey.
At age 42, he has joined the likes of Cruise, Smith and Pitt in the gang of ageless males. As strip-club owner/manager, this is less a "role" that McConaughey was born to play, and more a career he could quite easily have had. Shot on a stage wearing leather chaps and a cowboy hat in front of a bevvy of gregarious women, he is cruising, but simultaneously scintillating and hilarious. In one scene (pictured), in front of a mirror, he mentors the young Pettyfer about the blueprint to entertaining women. He delivers his monologue with such gratifying conviction that despite his grotesque character, I was still sitting there wishing it was me under his wing.
At age 42, he has joined the likes of Cruise, Smith and Pitt in the gang of ageless males. As strip-club owner/manager, this is less a "role" that McConaughey was born to play, and more a career he could quite easily have had. Shot on a stage wearing leather chaps and a cowboy hat in front of a bevvy of gregarious women, he is cruising, but simultaneously scintillating and hilarious. In one scene (pictured), in front of a mirror, he mentors the young Pettyfer about the blueprint to entertaining women. He delivers his monologue with such gratifying conviction that despite his grotesque character, I was still sitting there wishing it was me under his wing.
This kind of reaction is what makes Magic Mike accessible for men. It is even arguable that as a film about voraciously heterosexual men this is actually more of a film for voraciously heterosexual men than it is for women. It shows a hedonistic life that many men would dream of - filled with head-spinning experiences and beautiful women. Equally, however, as the advertisements for the film suggest, the hens do indeed get their peck. The numerous strip scenes are amazingly well choreographed and Tatum lives up to his unique Hollywood niche as a talented, twinkle-footed hunk.
In spite of all the baby oil and pelvic grinding, the surprising element that Magic Mike lacks is an edge. The scenes of nudity, sex and drug use imply that it exists, but there is a tameness that maintains its "15" housewives rating. It lacks the height of highs and depth of lows that such a story requires, leaving us wondering who to like or dislike, and who to really cheer for. Nevertheless, I left the cinema with a smile, which is a significant achievement for a film about crude male strippers.
This is not quite the film you think it is. Ladies, it's a free hit. Get oiled up and go. But even if you are a vociferously heterosexual man, see it for yourself. You might just enjoy the grind.
In spite of all the baby oil and pelvic grinding, the surprising element that Magic Mike lacks is an edge. The scenes of nudity, sex and drug use imply that it exists, but there is a tameness that maintains its "15" housewives rating. It lacks the height of highs and depth of lows that such a story requires, leaving us wondering who to like or dislike, and who to really cheer for. Nevertheless, I left the cinema with a smile, which is a significant achievement for a film about crude male strippers.
This is not quite the film you think it is. Ladies, it's a free hit. Get oiled up and go. But even if you are a vociferously heterosexual man, see it for yourself. You might just enjoy the grind.
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