Magic Mike

I think Channing Tatum is starting to grow on me a little. In the past, I had dismissed him as a wooden Hollywood puppet, hired strictly for his looks. But, over this past year, he has begun to impress me. First, he gave a genuinely funny performance and showed strong chemistry with his co-star, Jonah Hill, in the hilarious 21 Jump Street. And now, in Magic Mike, he not only gets to show off his physical assets (which I believe most of the women in the crowded theater I saw it in), but he also gives a genuinely likable, and at times very honest, performance.

The film is inspired by Tatum's own experiences as a stripper and male dancer during his pre-celebrity years, and it shows. There is a truthfulness and a certain backstage "fly on the wall" approach to the scenes set at the strip club that makes the movie look, sound, and seem authentic. However, this is not a sleazy movie, like say, Showgirls. This is a Steven Soderbergh-directed drama that combines the joys, thrills, and dangers of the night life, combined with a plot of its main character wanting more out of life, and struggling to find his way. The combination of raunchy beefcake humor, and slice of life drama is a hard balance to pull off, and while the screenplay by Reid Carolin isn't always successful or all that memorable (Boogie Nights did a better job at being a compelling drama set in a world of adult entertainment), it does provide more than enough content than the film's sexy ad campaign might lead on.

Tatum plays the titular "Magic Mike", a 30-year-old man in Tampa who works for a roofing company, and has big dreams of starting his own business making custom-made furniture. For now, however, most of his income comes from his work performing in an all-male revue. We get to witness Mike's nighttime world first-hand, as we're introduced to his boss, Dallas (Matthew McConaughey), and the other men who perform alongside him. At the moment, Mike's dreams of moving on seem to be on the back burner, as he can't get the financial help that he needs to start his own business. This is just fine for Dallas, who sees Mike as his star, and wants to hold onto him as long as possible. With Dallas planning to build an even bigger club in Miami, Mike becomes torn of staying where he is, and possibly making more money, or following his own path, uncertain though it may be.

That's when Mike meets Adam (Alex Pettyfer), a 19-year-old dropout without much drive or dreams, and is currently crashing on the couch of his older sister, Brooke (Cody Horn). Adam meets Mike during a roofing job, and when they meet again later that night, winds up getting pulled into Mike's other life as a male stripper. Adam takes to the lifestyle quite quickly, much to Brooke's concern, so Mike takes Adam under his wing, and promises to protect him. A complex relationship builds. Mike becomes somewhat of a big brother figure to Adam, while at the same time, developing feelings for Brooke. But then, Adam is drawn into the dark side of fame when he is pulled into a drug ring, and Mike finds himself unable to protect him, which naturally puts him at odds with the woman he would like to love.

Magic Mike takes us into the world of male strippers, but doesn't seem to have a stance on it. It depicts it largely as a place of fun and sexual fantasy. The key word being "fantasy". While we don't get to see the lives of the men on stage outside of Mike and Adam, we get the feeling that they are just regular guys who want to give the ladies who come to see them a show. I guess that's the main difference between male and female strippers. Male strippers seem to be about the sexual fantasy, whereas females are about the nudity. Outside of the male stripper angle, the movie really is just the old story about the dangers of fame, and a character who is driven to choose between the safe path in life (which he has long outgrown), or the more uncertain path that could possibly lead to a happier future. While this is nothing new, the movie does have a few nice touches, including an open-ended conclusion where things are not quite resolved, but they are satisfying nonetheless, because we can picture where the characters end up.

Now, let's talk about Channing Tatum. It's no secret that I've found the guy quite wooden and unemotional in the past. So, to my surprise, it is Tatum's performance that initially drew me in here. While I'm sure it's due to the fact that some of the material is semi-autobiographical for him, he does get to show some genuine quiet dramatic tension. The scenes that he shares with Adam's sister, Brooke, feel warm and genuine. Mike comes across as a nice guy who gets misjudged a lot, due to his profession. As for Brooke, we can see why she eventually becomes attracted to him. Mike comes across as a smart person, who has been taking some easy money for too long, and it's starting to wear on him. Tatum does a great job of playing this side of the character, as well as the "regular" and likable side that Brooke falls for.

It is also to the movie's credit that director Steven Soderbergh has given the film quite a lot of energy. The choreography and dance routines are entertaining and energetic, and convey a sense of fun. The routines are sexy and naughty, but not necessarily sleazy. While I'm sure some of the routines had to be toned down a little in order to avoid a NC-17, the energy and the sexual fantasy elements still come through in the routines. I am not sure if the actors who play the other male strippers share Tatum's history in the business. If they don't, it doesn't show. They are natural on stage, and perform the complex routines that are required of them with graceful ease.

As much as I admired Magic Mike, I did find it a little too familiar at times in its plotting. The male stripper angle may be a gimmick used to liven a somewhat overused central premise, but at least it works, and the movie finds a few other ways to make us care, with some strong characterizations. It simply can't escape the fact that the story's been told numerous times. That being said, it's seldom been told with this much energy.

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