Magic Mike

Guess what I did this morning? Went to a movie theater to watch Channing Tatum & Co. strip butt naked (almost...). Good times. More surprisingly, a good film. Steven Soderbergh has kept himself busy, having released 3 films in a years time, Magic Mike being the latest and probably the strongest.

Loosely based on Channing Tatum's own experiences as a stripper, the titular Mike introduces young Adam (Alex Pettyfer) to the world of male stripping. A world that is filled with money, sex, drugs and booze, but also success that the young man has been lacking, but craving. Adam, now known as The Kid, embraces this new lifestyle, but at the same time Mike is looking to pursue his other dreams,  while mentoring Adam.

You could imagine this be an R-rated comedy, but as it turns out, this is a serious film, a drama about the ugly side of show business. There is a few laughs and the overall feeling is quite comedic, since, you know, we have a group of guys stripping their clothes off every 15 minutes or so, but it manages to keep a serious face, where you actually see these men as people, who are working for a living, not just as sex objects. These men seem to have it all; the money, the ladies, who scream for them every night, the status. But as Cody Horn's character (Adam's older sister) implies, they can't be doing that forever, because it's a career that's seen as shallow and not real. And behind the scenes, it's not such a pretty picture. Young Adam's life spins out of control and Mike is trying to find his way out of the business and get a new start. But the women who watch these men dance don't see their struggles, they only see their own fantasies, as Dallas says "the husband they never got". This proves to be the heart of the film; the men build up a perfect illusion on-stage for the audience, but the reality is somewhat different, there is no such thing as perfection (except Ken's wife's rack...).

Channing Tatum shines in this film, he keeps it afloat and proves to be charismatic enough to support the weight of the film. It's good to see that he can actually act and provide a real and relatable character, who is actually quite tragic. He's looking for a way out, to be just Mike, without the "Magic" and promises to keep Adam safe and sound, but ends up leading him to the very life he now rejects, a life that could prove to be fatal to young and sinister Adam. And because he can actually dance, his solos and his effort in group numbers are a joy to watch.
And sure, the other guys (Matt Bomer, Kevin Nash, Joe Manganiello, Adam Rodriguez) are eyecandy too, but don't really stand out. Especially Adam Rodriguez gets very little screentime and doesn't seem to put on a show like Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello during the group performances. Alex Pettyfer isn't bad, but he isn't good. He starts off really strong, but fails to deepen his character enough for us to really care or understand him. But I was still pleasantly surprised by his performance, I was waiting for a lot worse. He was actually at his best when dancing / stripping on-stage.

But it's Matthew McConaghey who steals the show as Dallas, the club owner. He is phenomenal and confident in his role, hosting the shows like a reverend would preach to his congregation. His role isn't that big, but it's important. Tatum's Mike sees himself in Dallas, he's afraid he's gonna end up like him, a 40-year-old male stripper. Adam looks up to Dallas, having seen how succesful he's become and how the ladies love him. So even if he doesn't get a great story arc in this film, he is a very influential character. I would like to see him get an Oscar nomination for Supporting Actor. Can I get an Amen to that?