Magic Mike
2012
***½
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Cody Horn, Matt Bomer, Olivia Munn, Joe Manganiello, Matthew McConaughey, Adam Rodriquez, Kevin Nash
Mike is a 30-something jack-of-all-trades who makes most of his money as a male stripper in Tampa, Florida. While he attemps to get his furniture business off the ground, he takes the 19-year-old Adam under his wings at the club. Stephen Soderbergh's entertaining film defies easy categorisation. It has both comedy and drama, plenty of drinking, drug taking and nudity, warm bromance and romance, social commentary, and plenty of male stripping, but all the while the narrative keeps you guessing where exactly it's heading. The script by Reid Carolin (which is based on Channing Tatum's personal experiences) doesn't sneer at stripping. It shows the men as a tightly-knit group of friends who make the most of their frowned-upon profession. However, somewhat disappointingly there is a cautionary side plot about the sleazy side effects of the industry, and a strong suggestion that no one should make a career out of stripping. Soderbergh cuts steadily between the plot and the performances, which becomes a bit mechanical in the long run. Channing Tatum as Mike is a revelation as a dramatic actor and as a stage performer, and Matthew McConaughey makes great fun of himself as the egomaniacal Dallas, who runs the club.
