“Magic Mike” Makes for Lightweight Drama

imageSteven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike (C) is the origin story of a Tampa-based stripper group (ahem, male entertainment) and is made notable by both the titular character played and danced by a charming Channing Tatum and by the veteran emcee and ringleader placed by a wily and entertaining Matthew McConaughey. Alex Pettyfer plays the film’s mangenue, and his and all the film’s subplots are threadbare indeed. As drama, it doesn’t have heft. As escapism, it’s not quite trifle or truffle. It all compares unfavorably to Boogie Nights, which plumbs the adult entertainment industry with much more vivid aplomb. The fun in Mike comes in some of the ribald choreography and music/dance sequences, but I expected Soderbergh to well, step it up. The magic goes poof pretty quickly.

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