There’s a moment in the musical Wicked where Elphaba looks around and wonders if the encounter she had with Madam Morrible really just happened but it seemed so strange. I, too, found myself wondering if that really just happened, but rather than wondering if I had a talent that could help me meet a wizard, I was amazed that once again Channing Tatum and company managed to make Magic Mike XXL, a wholly enjoyable film about lovable strippers that rises above expectations.
As one of the people who really dug the first Magic Mike, I must say that I was a bit dismayed at the fact that not only were they going to make a sequel, but that Matthew McConaughey wouldn’t be coming back, Soderbergh was stepping away from the directors chair, and the plot…well, they claimed there wouldn’t be much of one. All of these things definitely seemed to spell bad omens for filmgoers. Who knew then that that would set the stage for an engaging character story with some of the most jaw dropping dance sequences I’ve seen committed to movies?
It’s not hard to laud the film although, it certainly is difficult to figure out where to start. The movie is pretty brilliant in its simplicity from a plot stand point, even though it throws in a few wrinkles now and then. Mike has started his furniture company, though it’s struggling. He receives a call one day from Tarzan nee Ernest, who tells him Dallas is gone, which brings him back in the orbit of all our favorite friends. They’re heading to a stripping convention and want Mike to join in, which he does after Pony comes on the radio and makes him dance around his workshop. From there, it’s a road trip filled with fun pit stops, old flames and new love interests, and of course stripping routines.
Speaking of stripping routines, the dance numbers in Magic Mike XXL, my goodness. Under the playful and dazzling eyes of director Gregory Jacobs and cinematographer/editor Steven Soderbergh, the stripping/dance numbers rival anything you would see in a movie musical. In a way this film has more in common with many of the Broadway musicals that currently make it to the main stem. There’s spectacle at every turn, even though the movie is careful not to jerk you around visually. The fluidity with which the male entertainers move through the screen and how the numbers are developed is a sight to behold, and not just for the skin. But let the record show, whether they are at Mad Mary’s, in a convenience store or on a convention stage, they work.
The dances are only as good as the people doing them, and this is where the movie benefits from not having to be plot driven as the first. We already know these men as their archetypes and some even further (Mike), but what Magic Mike XXL does so wonderfully is digs into these men and what makes them tick in an extremely organic and interesting way. I delighted in finding out that Tarzan (Kevin Nash) has an actual name and likes to paint (he painted the food truck they travel around in), seeing that Tito (Adam Rodriguez) really was interested in starting a frozen yogurt business, and having Ken (Matt Bomer)working out his Riki trainer abilities. The best thing about this movie was Big Dick Richie however. In the hands of a lesser person, this character could have fallen flat, but Joe Mangianello, the acting MVP of the film, manages to make both Richie’s bravado and insecurities tangible. His convenient store dance is sure to be the highlight for many, but what makes the scene work is his playing of BDR’s crisis of confidence about whether he can live of up to an artificial standard since he’s not a natural dancer like Mike.
The script might be bereft of real plot machinations, but it definitely doesn’t skim on these character beats and themes. It’s incredibly sex positive, as much about male objectification without gratuity, and gives each character some meaningful encounter and moment. Bonus points for allowing Jada Pinkett Smith the room for having the time of her life and for allowing Amber Heard to show us that yes, she does indeed have a fun screen presence and can be wonderfully naturalistic when paired with the ball of charisma that is Channing Tatum (seriously, we need to get this guy a movie musical ASAP).
There’s much more to be said about this film, but I fear going more in depth might spoil the pleasant surprises that are in store. Just go see it.