Magic Mike
Mike (Channing Tatum) is an entrepreneur of several wildly divergent businesses, with a skill set ranging from roofer to auto detailer to custom furniture crafter to male stripper. You could say life in Tampa Florida hasn’t exactly turned out quite the way he’d hoped or wanted. With an ounce of pity for Adam (Alex Pettyfer), an out of work college dropout, Mike opens the door to the hardcore party lifestyle, women, stripping, and drugs. Meanwhile Adam’s sister, Brooke (Cody Horn), isn’t exactly sitting by the sidelines, but attempting to care for her little brother might be too much. And, with the pressure of club owner Dallas (Matthew McConaughey) mounting for all, eventually something’s got to give. Finding center, love, and purpose becomes Mike’s new goal, but is it too late, and what of Adam’s fate?
Now, I know what you’re thinking, Chippendales/Male Strippers? C Tate? Can my eyeballs possibly witness this without the rest of my body somehow engaging in a full on gag reflex? Short answer, yes, and without totally giving up your man card either. The material could have very easily turned hokey or hard to digest, instead, Director Steven Soderbergh coaxes honest performances from what might otherwise be a laughable story. Mind you, there are quite a few honest laughs, and awkward moments, but somehow it all seems to add up to provide for characters you’re really rooting for. Acting all round feels on point, and with a mild reservation on the film’s final act, the film is seaworthy and stout. And, once again, hat’s off to Tatum, somehow miraculously he manages to pull on the yoke every time I think he’s about to crash and burn…well played sir, well played. Magic Mike is rated R for obvious reasons.