Robert Carlyle and a group of his mates including the fat bloke from the Tesco adverts decide they need a few more quid after being made redundant so they start stripping for the lucky ladies of Northern England. They have a laugh. We have a laugh. They get naked. Job well done.
Sorry, wrong film...
Channing Tatum is a custom furniture designer/roof tiler/stripper who decides to take Alex Pettyfer under his wing and make him part of his stripping act run by Matthew "I can finally fucking act" McConaughey. They have a laugh. We have a laugh. They get naked. Job well done.
That's better...
In reality though, Magic Mike is yet another fantastic entry from Steven Soderbergh; Hollywood's most prolific and hard-working filmmaker. It's frequently funny, often poignant and laden by wonderful performances (acting not stripping you saucy gits). Tatum, Pettyfer and McConaughey dominate the scenes they enter by providing heartfelt, rounded and dimensional screen roles. Soderbergh's direction is as précised and meticulous as viewers should expect - this may be about blokes getting their kits off and dry-humping the shit out of middle-age women but it's still a beautifully crafted and handled work.
Men should embrace this film as much as women; in fact, it's probably aimed more at a male demographic anyway. Sure, you're wife/girlfriend will sit there thinking "why the hell doesn't my man look like him?" but the film's themes, tones and principles lie in the direction of male living and thinking. Don't be put off by Tatum's God-Bod guys, rush out and see Magic Mike - it's one of the year's best offerings and most enjoyable features.
CHEEKY BASTARD.
I don't know what it was about this movie, but I just had a freakin' ball with it. I laughed, hooted, hollered, and loved watching what Soderbergh could do with a "male stripper movie". Definitely wasn't a film that had no chance of working but pulled it off very well. Good review Chris. Nice tag-line for that pic as well.
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