'MAGIC MIKE'

'MAGIC MIKE' (R) (3 1/2 STARS)

Written by Reid Carolin
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Actors: Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Cody Horn, Alex Pettyfer, Kevin Nash, Matt Bomer, Olivia Munn, Joe Manganiello, James Martin Kelly

Leave it to the prolific director Steven Soderbergh to make a movie about male strippers that is a near masterpiece. I imagined a piece of fluff that would be silly and laughable but in the hands of Soderbergh "Magic Mike" is gritty, very well acted and brilliantly directed. Instead of fluff you get a hard hitting look at failed dreams and a very dark story involving a non glamorous profession that looks more fun on the surface than it really is. Women expecting a lot of sexy strip numbers and very good looking, well built men will get that but they will get something darker than they expected.

"Magic Mike" is based on the life of it's lead actor Channing Tatum and because it is based on truth the movie will pull no punches. Women come to the strip club where Tatum's Mike performs at along with some other very good looking men. Women who come get a vicarious thrill from seeing these men dance and strip and I understand it. Men are pigs and they go to strip clubs thinking they can score with any stripper that dances for them. Women just want to have some harmless fun and just want a moment where a man is paying attention to only them.

Mike is very good at what he does and he also works a construction job and meets 19 year old Adam who he takes under his wings. Adam will follow Mike to the club and when a male dancer named Tarzan passes out Adam will step in. There is also the owner of the club who is like a father to this den of male strippers. The owner Dallas is played in an Oscar caliber performance by Matthew McConaughey, his best performance of his career. Dallas has a dream with Mike to open up a club in Miami. Dallas is very self centered but he cares for his pack of male performers. The comraderie of Dallas, Mike and the others reminded me of the close knit, offbeat family of porn stars in "Boogie Nights" and that is a great thing.

This movie surprised me from the first frame to the last shot which I found perfect. Steven Soderbergh is one of out best directors and he has shot a movie that is almost perfect save for a meandering 15 minutes near the end. He has made a gritty movie showing the dark back stage side of this weird profession. I loved how he shot each and every strip number and how they are all choreographed. I was shocked at how very unsexy I found some of the numbers and how cheesy they were. Though something happened, I found myself very entertained by each number. I smiled a lot and was very amused by male strip performances that I actually found very fun and creative. I love Musicals so I saw each number as a little musical and they are all very well thought out. This movie's strip performances puts the lackluster numbers of "Rock of Ages" to deep shame.

There is also a love story in "Magic Mike" involving Mike and Adam's caring sister Brooke played naturally and very well by the naturally beautiful Cody Horn. I was expecting a too cute, shallow love story like "Cocktail" and many movies of that ilk. I was shocked at how serious, thoughtful and well written this love story was. There are no cliches, no pretty, neat wrap ups and no phoniness like most movies including Tatum's awful "The Vow". I loved how Brooke and Mike just don't jump in bed right away, there are complications and many realistic obstacles. Anyway Mike has a fling going on already with Joanna, very well played in a small role by Olivia Munn.

"Magic Mike" is not overly cute and Hollywood phony, it has grit and reality seeping through every pore. The strip numbers might be exciting on the surface but to these men it can be very dead end. I never could believe that the Miami dream would work because this life is empty unless you have something to back you up. There is a very well written scene between Mike and Brooke where Mike tells her he doesn't want to turn out to be a 40 year old stripper. Every scene in this movie feels real and I felt something for all the characters, well written from Mike and Dallas down to the charming Tarzan played by ex WWE wrestler Kevin Nash.

"Magic Mike" came out of left field and surprised the hell out of me and I love surprises from movies. It is a very thoughtful, gritty movie that I found equal to a movie like "Boogie Nights" and that 1997 movie is one of my all time favorites. I also am really impressed by how Channing Tatum has grown into a very smart and effective actor and I think he can carry any type of movie now. I also love the Dallas character and I was proud of how McConaughey gave depth to a charcater that could have been a cliche and he should get Oscar consideration.

This is a very well written, serious, fun, very entertaining and dark movie and I love dark movies. I expected fluff and surface Hollywood gloss, I didn't expect a penetrating look at a sad, dead end life. Women going into this movie might be dissapointed if they are just looking for a fun movie full of sexy dance numbers. Yes, the dance numbers are well done and the men look very good but they will get more heart, pathos and seriousness than just a fun, little male stripper movie.

"Magic Mike" has a great lead performance by Channing Tatum, an award caliber performance by McConaughey and characters that you will find fascinating and intriguing. It also has one of the best love stories of any movie in years. I love the final shot of this movie and how it ends, with a perfect bittersweetness. This is an almost perfect movie that surprised me, moved me and I think it is the best commercial Hollywood movie of 2012 so far.