Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Reid Carolin
Stars: Salma Hayek, Channing Tatum, Caitlin Gerard
The Magic Mike film’s have always followed a simple premise, it basically explored the life as a male stripper. The second tried to change it up a bit, and explored what it was like on the road for a male stripper. Now in ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’, Soderbergh and Carolin have decided to take the series in a completely different direction…well kind of.
‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ follows a broke Mike (Channing Tatum), who meets socialite Maxandra (Salma Hayek) while bartending at her fundraising party in Miami. After a night of lap dancing, Maxandra makes Mike a business offer to direct a jazzed-up Victorian stage play in London. Maxandra wants it to be sexier and more “empowering” for women.
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An honorable mention in this film is the cameo of Mike’s stripping buddies from the first two movies, who appear via Zoom. I have to say that Tatum has enough charisma to make this story and new direction all watchable, and while I never really believed the connection between Mike and Maxandra, I enjoyed watching the sex appeal each one of their characters brought to this film. One thing I was let down by is the underuse of the dancers hired by Max and Mike, most of the dancers hired aren’t even given a name in the film. I felt their characters might have been a little under appreciated.
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The strongest element of ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’, I think everyone could agree was the music and the dancing. The highlight moment for me was when, during a rehearsal, Mike shows other dancers how to “keep the connection” with an actress onstage. All that needs to be said here is ‘Ro James – Permission’, and you can thank me later.
‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ is packed with all the dancing and music you’d want in a “Magic Mike” film, even if it’s a little bit less rambunctious on the whole.
‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’ is out now.
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