“Magic Mike”
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Channing Tatum, Olivia Munn, Alex Pettyfer
Based loosely on events in Channing Tatum’s past, “Magic Mike” follows the story of Michael Lane (Channing Tatum), a creative entrepreneur with a passion for various forms of masculine art, who shines onstage as the King of Dance while also mentoring a reluctant teenager named Adam (Alex Pettyfer) and dreaming of a life beyond the glamour and one dollar bills of his night job.
While on the surface, Mike appears to be nothing but over-sweetened eye candy meant to drive women insane with his perfectly chiseled physique and concupiscent dance style, the qualities that Mike possesses outside of the limelight create within him a redeemable character. His passion for creating art in furniture and cars and his genuine desire to protect his young protégé, Adam, from the more malevolent side of their exotic lifestyle give his character depth and allow the audience to connect with him on a deeper level than mere sexual attraction. His desire to have a genuine relationship with Adam’s sister, Brooke, (Cody Horn) also gives the audience something more tangible to watch than just another guy who plays with women’s hearts.
Adam’s character is the opposite of Mike. While Mike seems to genuinely desire something greater than the so-called “magic” of their concupiscent lifestyle, Adam does not. While initially being reluctant to succumb to the erotic night activities of his new comrades, Adam eventually becomes ensnared in the darker elements of stardom, and his lack of experience with the “magic” not only causes trouble for him, but also thwarts Mike’s dreams and his relationship with Brooke.
So is “Magic Mike” merely a clichéd flick about men wanting money and women and women wanting two hours’ worth of unadulterated man-candy or is there a genuine purpose to this story? Initially, the answer would appear to be the former…it’s all about man’s desire to drive women crazy with their perfect bodies and the movie possessing the nutritional value of marshmallows. But if you can endure the shocking imagery and eroticism until the third act, you will find the deeper moral to this story; that while the nightlife may be fun for a time, there are better things to strive for, and if you allow yourself to be caught up in the more malignant side of stardom, you will inevitably be consumed by it.
I have never been particularly drawn to this…flavor…of movie, and when I sat down to watch it, I was unsure of what I was in for. While the shocking imagery and rougher story arcs challenged my resolve to treat this movie with an objective attitude, I found myself genuinely surprised that I could relate to the lead character, Mike, and his desire to aspire to be something more than just a pretty face. “Magic Mike” is definitely not a movie for the easily shocked, but if you enjoy Channing Tatum and dancing, you might find this an interesting flick.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Channing Tatum, Olivia Munn, Alex Pettyfer
Based loosely on events in Channing Tatum’s past, “Magic Mike” follows the story of Michael Lane (Channing Tatum), a creative entrepreneur with a passion for various forms of masculine art, who shines onstage as the King of Dance while also mentoring a reluctant teenager named Adam (Alex Pettyfer) and dreaming of a life beyond the glamour and one dollar bills of his night job.
While on the surface, Mike appears to be nothing but over-sweetened eye candy meant to drive women insane with his perfectly chiseled physique and concupiscent dance style, the qualities that Mike possesses outside of the limelight create within him a redeemable character. His passion for creating art in furniture and cars and his genuine desire to protect his young protégé, Adam, from the more malevolent side of their exotic lifestyle give his character depth and allow the audience to connect with him on a deeper level than mere sexual attraction. His desire to have a genuine relationship with Adam’s sister, Brooke, (Cody Horn) also gives the audience something more tangible to watch than just another guy who plays with women’s hearts.
Adam’s character is the opposite of Mike. While Mike seems to genuinely desire something greater than the so-called “magic” of their concupiscent lifestyle, Adam does not. While initially being reluctant to succumb to the erotic night activities of his new comrades, Adam eventually becomes ensnared in the darker elements of stardom, and his lack of experience with the “magic” not only causes trouble for him, but also thwarts Mike’s dreams and his relationship with Brooke.
So is “Magic Mike” merely a clichéd flick about men wanting money and women and women wanting two hours’ worth of unadulterated man-candy or is there a genuine purpose to this story? Initially, the answer would appear to be the former…it’s all about man’s desire to drive women crazy with their perfect bodies and the movie possessing the nutritional value of marshmallows. But if you can endure the shocking imagery and eroticism until the third act, you will find the deeper moral to this story; that while the nightlife may be fun for a time, there are better things to strive for, and if you allow yourself to be caught up in the more malignant side of stardom, you will inevitably be consumed by it.
I have never been particularly drawn to this…flavor…of movie, and when I sat down to watch it, I was unsure of what I was in for. While the shocking imagery and rougher story arcs challenged my resolve to treat this movie with an objective attitude, I found myself genuinely surprised that I could relate to the lead character, Mike, and his desire to aspire to be something more than just a pretty face. “Magic Mike” is definitely not a movie for the easily shocked, but if you enjoy Channing Tatum and dancing, you might find this an interesting flick.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.