Magic Mike DVD Review

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Starring: Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Cody Horn, Matthew McConaughey

Running Time: 106 minutes

Certificate: 15

Extras: Backstage On Magic Mike, Extended Dance Scenes, Dance Play Mode

Steven Soderbergh is no stranger to social commentary. Previous efforts ERIN BROCKOVICH and TRAFFIC take a traditional route in portraying America’s issue with big business and drugs respectively. MAGIC MIKE, on the surface, is a tale about a young stripper discovering himself, but stripped back (pun intended) it sets out to portray the American dream.

Mike (Tatum) is a successful stripper. Working at Exquisite under money hungry boss Dallas (McConaughey) he has it all cash, woman, and the kind of abs you could wash your shirt on – but he yearns for more. Adam (Pettyfer) is living on his sister’s couch; no money, no job, and nothing to live for he is stumbling before a chance encounter with Mike changes everything. Granted, it doesn’t sound like the American dream, but MAGIC MIKE has all the components: big business taking advantage of the staff – Dallas, the young upstart given a chance – Adam, and of course ‘the dream’, Mike.

Being a Steven Soderbergh film MAGIC MIKE looks fantastic, capturing every drip of sweat, hip thrust, and act of debauchery. Reid Carolin has put together an effective and witty screenplay which is performed solidly by the cast, none of whom outshine Tatum. For a man not so long ago dubbed ‘the human potato’ by a fellow critic it is incredible to see his rise: 21 JUMP STREET showed promise but MAGIC MIKE cements him as a genuine talent. The same can’t really be said for Pettyfer who struggles to pull off the ‘hard-done-by teen’ look, or Kevin Nash as Tarzan who has all the charisma of a jumbo jet, and about the same amount of rhythm. Wisely shoved to the back of ensemble routines keep an eye out for his ‘moves’.

In spite of some good points MAGIC MIKE fails to hit the heights it aspires. One of its problems is the needless love story between Mike and Adam’s sister Brooke (Horn). Given the playboy lifestyle Mike lives amongst this element never fits and is dropped a few times during the films run time, only to reappear at unwanted junctures. Tatum and an inspired McConaughey still manage to keep it fun though.

MAGIC MIKE isn’t what you’d expect for a movie pertaining to be about strippers, and is better for it. The issues arise when the filmmakers try to cram too much heart into the movie. Paul Thomas Anderson’s BOOGIE NIGHTS is the ultimate take on the American dream and how it can crumble in front of you, MAGIC MIKE is BOOGIE NIGHTS-light. So, for those who found Anderson’s masterpiece too much, have a watch of MAGIC MIKE; everyone else, just watch BOOGIE NIGHTS.

Extras: A run of the mill behind the scenes is memorable only for Matthew McConaughey’s excitement. Extended dance sequences will appeal to those who like that sort of things, as will the dance play mode – an option to select the movies sequences individually.

MAGIC MIKE is released on Blu-ray and DVD November 26th