MOVIE REVIEW - Magic Mike

It's time for a huge girls night out, and this time it's Channing Tatum and Mathew McConaughey in the male stripper flick, Magic Mike.

Truth is, for all the hype and sex-selling Hollywood has been doing with this flick, it actually is much more than Chan and Matt taking their clothes off onstage. Magic Mike is a pretty good overall movie, but don't panic ladies. There is plenty of male stripping.

This is the story of Mike (Tatum). Mike is about 30 and has made his living for the past number of years as a male stripper in Tampa, Florida. He also moonlights (excuse the pun), as a construction worker, and a sort of furniture maker. He seems to be at a crossroads in life. He still strips and makes tons of cash, but he seems to be ready to cross over and finally be an adult.

Me meets Adam, (Alex Pettyfer) on a job site. Alex is 19 and a complete loser. He has no motivation, no ambition, and no plan on growing up. He lives with his sister, Brooke (Cody Horn) and sleeps on her couch. Adam and Mike become fast friends, and Adam is introduced to the stripping life, and indeed becomes a male stripper with Mike and works at the club owned by Dallas (McConaughey). Adam becomes eaten up with the success, the wine, women and song of the business. He also falls into the wrong crowd and delves into drugs, and illegal activities.

Mike, now is interested in Adam's straight laced sister Brooke vows to her to take care of Adam, but can't as Adam is his own worst enemy. Will Adam fall too far to catch? Will Brooke and Mike finally find each other, and will Mike ever really grow up, and quit a young mans gig and become a man? That is Magic Mike.

First off, I am not a big fan of Tatum, but I did like him a lot in 21 Jump Street where he was really funny as a stoner dude-cop. And here, this is a role he seemed born to play. He is very good as the wildly popular Magic Mike. Although his actual past really helps him out here, as being a male dancer was a part of his young past.

McConaughey is always great, and is here too as the fun, but trashy club owner Dallas. But Magic Mike needed real balance, and got it with Cody Horn. She is perfectly, and I mean perfectly cast as Brooke. She is understated, and made to look plain-Janey here, and provides a real dose of real to this movie. Will Mike leave his very "glamorous" life for a "regular" girl. She is simply fantastic as the grounded Brooke. Her casting saved this movie from a sheer movie perspective, and gave it credibility. Mike leaving the business for a supermodel type, would have been a real train wreck, and laughable.

Magic Mike has a huge musical soundtrack that really sails along nicely, and compliments the dance scenes well. And trust me, there is no shortage of dance scenes. The scenes with a full club of fanatical women are very real, and very well done. Magic Mike is also a bit deeper than you might think. There is a story, and it becomes almost dark at times showing you the ugly underbelly of a seedy business.

Magic Mike. This summers "girls night out" at the movies. Guys, go to an Indians game.