Magic Mike Review

Director Steven Soderberg disappoints with his latest film, Magic Mike, starring Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, and Alex Pettyfer. The film centers on a young ‘kid’ Adam (Pettyfer) who has no guidance or direction in his life, he meets Mike (Tatum) through a construction job, and then bumps into him outside a strip club later on that night. Mike helps Adam get into the club, and states that he owes him one. Not knowing what that meant, Mike tells him to come to another strip club, a male strip club to owe him his debt. He attends and when one stripper gets sick, Adam is forced to strip, gaining his stripper name ‘the kid.’ Adam makes a ton of money, becomes best friends with Mike and starts to enjoy his life. Can Adam make male stripping his life or will the effects of late night partying and drugs take over?


Magic Mike was a huge disappointment. The plot started off quite interesting, but it faltered quickly. Mike is this hard working stripper that is trying to save up money to start his own business in furniture making, but the audience never truly knew his story, where he came from, where his family is, etc. Also, Adam lives with his sister, Brooke (portrayed by Cody Horn) and the audience never learned their story either. Where were their parents, why did Adam have anger problems and why was Brooke over protective of her adult brother. To make matters worse, the film literally ends in the middle of the movie. Nothing is summed up, and it is left completely open making the audience feel cheated and aggravated for wasting time and money on a pointless, foolish film.



The acting in the film was decent. Channing Tatum was great as the hard working, misunderstood stripper with a soft side. His dancing is unbelievable, and he didn't use a body double or stunt double, which was very impressive. McConaughey portrayed the host of the strip club, Dallas, and he was hysterical. He was over the top dramatic, but it worked for the character. Pettyfer delivered a fine performance but he left the audience wanting more, but not in a good way. His character was confusing and never progressed or grew throughout the film. Horn was decent as well, but there are some parts through the film where she is just stone faced, and there is absolutely no emotion in her face. Her scenes with other characters were at times hard to watch and somewhat awkward, but that could also be the writing as well.
In conclusion, Magic Mike is only recommended to anyone that enjoys films with a naked Channing Tatum, a half naked Matthew McConaughey and a film packed with drugs, alcohol, and no point.