Magic Mike: Review By Bawnian©-Dexeus

Magic Mike is a 2012 drama movie.

Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

Starring: Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey, Cody Horn, Joe Manganiello, Matthew Bomer, Adam Rodriguez, Keving Nash and Gabriel Iglesias.

The Patriot, A.I., Hey Arnold, Charlie's Angel, Spider-Man 2, War of the Worlds, Fantastic 4, Superman Returns, Devil Wears Prada, Ratatouille, Die Hard 4, Wall-E, Wanted, Eclipse, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. What do all these movies have in common with Magic Mike?

Since 2000, the year I started frequently going to the movies, all these movies I have watched around my birthday since they were released at least 2-3 close to the date. It's been a tradition to watch the one movie with the most buzz in that weekend, with the exception of Eclipse, since some of the girls in my high-school class invited me out and I wasn't gonna turn down a free movie nor a night out with the ladies. This year it could have been G.I. Joe: Retaliation, until they chickened out and so it was down to male strippers and Channing Tatum. Don't worry. I took the next plane out of the state and went to Vegas to celebrate my 21st. How did I end up seeing it? Well, friend of a friend and a free screening and golden boy I am. The result was a surprise.

Magic Mike is basically the true story of Channing Tatum's life as a young male stripper before making it big in Hollywood. Tatum is the title character Magic Mike, pushing thirty years old. He meets a nineteen year old along the way named Adam (Pettyfer) and by accident, becomes a sensation at the strip club gaining the nick name The Kid. He meets Ken (Bomer), Tarzan (Nash), Tito (Rodriguez), Big Dick Richie (Manganiello) and the head of the pack, Dallas (McC).

This movie is more than just catering men on a silver platter to a wide female audience. It explores the double standards of strippers and a gender role reversal. It's all about being taken seriously and not just a pretty face. Mike wants to explore his talent for making custom made furniture from any material; he shows a portfolio of a glass table with oxygen tanks for the base. Just to give you an example of his work. Tatum knows how to cater a movie. he can do comedy and drama with a touch of romance. I'm not saying the man is an Oscar performer, but when he does a role, he does it well enough to average. He's got a pretty face and knows how to sell it. Why be ashamed of it? Kind of a contradiction since his character wants to be more than a good looking peace of meat and in the real world it's just that.

For those asking about "Big Dick Richie", simple, Joe uses a penis pump in the first stage of the movie just to make the audience laugh. I did despite how awkward it was. Soderbergh is a hit or a miss like some might say. He's got 6 strong movies under his belt, maybe more. This year he showed us how well he can handle action with Haywire, and with Magic Mike, he can certainly do a pseudo biopic while entertaining one part of the audience. he brings his signature filters but only uses one: yellow. He blends other colors while the predominant is the former. The highlight is McC, as he's nothing but a funny bastard while being a total villain.

Magic Mike is simply a fantasy trip and nothing else. They sold it's audience a performance and they paid good money for it. They also get a small romance, a dramatic twist, references to drugs and sex and the drawback to this type of lifestyle. Sort of like Boogie Nights, without the porn.

Overall, surprisingly funny at times and obviously entertaining for the women. the numbers don't lie.

Written by: Bawnian©-Dexeus.

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