Magic Mike is a movie with a split personality. It’s raucous fun that morphs into something surprisingly non-superficial (relatively speaking). Of course, if you’re in it strictly for the eye candy, that’s okay too. Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey do not disappoint. And neither do the rest of their cohorts at the fictional Xquisite male revue. It’s raining men – hallelujah, and all that jazz.
Tatum plays “Magic Mike”, a veteran stripper who ends up mentoring a young protégé named Adam, a.k.a. “The Kid” (Alex Pettyfer). Together, they appear to embrace the stripper subculture in their hometown of Tampa. But as The Kid sinks deeper and deeper into a world of sex, drugs and parties galore, Mike grows more and more antsy to to break free of that life and pursue his true passion for furniture and entrepreneurship. (Hey, he’s got skills).
Tatum’s real-life experiences as a male stripper serve him well in this role. He is most definitely the star of the show. And, it’s nice to see him overexposed in something other than a formulaic romantic drama.
Watching Magic Mike is like having a ringside seat to a wild bachelorette party. The Sex and the City crowd is sure to toss a whole lotta singles and fives and tens at the box office for this one (Mike: “You don’t want to know what I have to do for twenties”). The guys may roll their eyes a bit (or go see Ted instead), but I can guarantee you that a bunch of men in the audience did enjoy it as well. Then again, a few topless women are thrown into the mix. Just a reminder here – the movie is rated R. So while 16 and up will sneak into the theaters regardless, younger kids should be kept away.
Is Magic Mike fine art? Of course not. Is it as good as The Full Monty? Not really. But does it pass the ‘what the heck, let’s go see it’ summer fluff test? Absolutely.
Just watch the trailer below and you’ll understand why: