Directed by: Gregory Jacobs
Written by: Reid Carolin
Cast: Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Amber Heard, Elizabeth Banks, Andie MacDowell, Jada Pinkett Smith, Gabriel Iglesias
The screaming in the theater matched the screaming on the screen. When’s the last time you heard that? Rippling six packs, hot male bodies, bumps and grinds, dance choreographed steamy simulated sex acts all graced the frame, and it was so well done, had such good humor attached to it, it was actually a lot of fun to watch.
I’m talking about “Magic Mike XXL” the new follow up film to the hit movie of 2012. The original, if you remember, was actually a somber affair under its skin, about a man (Channing Tatum) struggling to escape his own destiny. Despite its flash and the obvious tanned and oiled skin of perfect male bodies trotting around the stage to earn dollar bills from excited club goers, it was a truly depressing tale. Yet for all its puff and pompous attitude, it had some really great performances. Now the tale continues, but as a good-natured, entertaining road picture.
Here’s the storyline:
The tale begins three years after Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) left the world of male stripping to pursue his dream of a normal life. However, his mundane existence is lonely, he misses his stripper friends, the Kings of Tampa. As fate would have it, the guys are traveling through town on their way to a last outing at the yearly stripping competition held in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
They want their headliner Magic Mike with them so they have a chance at winning, or at least one last go around with the whole crew on board. With the promise of some long missing fun in the offing, a now reinvigorated Mike jumps on the bandwagon and off they go. What happens along the way makes for some very entertaining film making.
In the original film, Matthew McConaughey played the leader of the group, but I guess his new Academy Award put him in an earning class that made him too expensive to hire. However, the film is actually better for it, making room for some great new faces to enter the story.
Tatum is a great dancer and he gets to let it out big time here, you’re gonna love him in this film. Jada Pinkett Smith is a joy to watch, alluring and dynamic, as good as she’s ever been, and of all people Andie MacDowell is a stand out as a lonely southern belle. Actually, every performance is wonderful.
So my take… Friend’s of my dad ran a Male Strip Club in Miami many moons ago, I got to know them and their world in passing, that is to say this whole male stripping thing is nothing new to me. So when I say that this film is a fun trip to take, you can believe it. It’s worth the night out! Enjoy.
