Magic Mike [DVD]

Well here's one for the books! Not that Hollywood has produced a male stripper film with a strong veneer of MTV, not that it stars some of the best looking actors around, but that, against the odds, it's all rather good. OK, so don't throw out your copies of Vertigo and The Godfather just yet, Magic Mike won't be troubling the Greatest Films Ever Made lists but it's quite possible that Steven Soderbergh has created what could well become a signature film of the year.

The set up is humble enough; Nineteen year old Adam (Alex Pettyfer), something of a loner, turns up to work on a Florida construction site where he discovers the confident Mike (Channing Tatum). The two strike up a friendship and upon learning that Mike's primary income is derived from stripping, Adam follows his new big brother into the business garnering women, easy money and drugs in the process. There's the necessary romantic subplot involving Mike and Adam's sister thrown in and the conservative undercurrents of a cautionary tale best seen in Matthew McConaughey's Dallas, who, beneath his ageing flesh, acts as an avatar for what becomes of those who cannot let go of their stripper salad days. In many ways, Magic Mike is a film about its title character's attempt to escape a similar fate. While Dallas is certainly the best performance of McConaughey's career, it's Pettyfer and Tatum who are the stars of the show here, both giving fine performances and, in the case of Tatum, turning in some genuinely outstanding dance sequences.

However, despite this stripper framework Magic Mike is, at its heart, a boys will be boys film. Heterosexual male viewers might be surprised to discover that here is a rather masculine film which shows life from the perspective of its male protagonists and is as heavy on bromance as it is on sexuality - not that it's lite on that either. Peter Andrews' cinematography adds to the coming of age flavour and the sun-kissed shots of Florida often make Magic Mike feel like MTV's coverage of Spring Break 1999 - all in the best possible way. If there is a let down it comes in the form of its few female characters; all characterised by their sexuality whether it be prudish or loose, an odd scenario given the supposed male-objectification that the film toys with.

Still, when taken as a carefree adventure, its strong performances, sledgehammer of a soundtrack and optimistic atmosphere elevate Magic Mike far above its contemporaries and mark it out as the best "dance flick" in well over a decade. Fun, trashy entertainment. Three stars.

'Magic Mike' works on a construction site by day and as a stripper by night, but what he really want to do to start his own furniture business. When new boy in town Adam (The Kid) joins the dance troupe, Mike also meets and gets to know Adam's sister. She likes him but not his stripper lifestyle ...

This is an extremely enjoyable film. Yes, it has hot guys with fit bodies and amazing dance routines. But also an enjoyable story too. The seedier side of this life is touched on but does not take over the film. Channing Tatum is amazing in this and he can certainly move, and of course we know this is loosely based on his time as a real-life stripper. Alex Pettifer and Matthew McConnaughey are also very good.

Easy watching, enjoyable and full of guys who are easy on the eye. Great entertainment! The DVD even has some extended dance scenes and a dance play mode where you can watch just the dance routines. What's not to like?!

I like most of the actors in this film and it was delivered quickly. However the plot was dull, the script was predictable and equally boring, acting was flat & dance routines weren't anything special. Don't expect fireworks or entertainment, it could & should have been better.