Magic Mike XXL

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Gregory Jacobs/Starring: Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Elizabeth Banks, Andie MacDowell, Amber Heard, Adam Rodriguez, Kevin Nash, Gabriel Iglesias and Matt Bomer

If you were expecting Magic Mike XXL, the sequel to Steven Soderbergh's Magic Mike to be a psychological exploration of its protagonist, you might be disappointed. On the other hand, if you expected to see dazzling dance moves and chiseled torsos, then director Gregory Jacobs' film has his finger on your pulse. I must admit, I felt very out of place; the lone male in a distaff audience, but since I had already seen the first film, which I found to be surprisingly entertaining, I thought I'd give the follow-up a go.

For the life of me, I could barely make out a story in this gimmicky flick. The narrative, or what one can discern as one, can be summed up in one or two sentences. Mike (Channing Tatum) is back at his job as a furniture designer, when he discovers his old male revue chums are planning one last show at a stripper convention in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Feeling the urge to spin, grind and strip, he decides to join them. You see; a synopsis in two sentences. How this taffy-thin story was stretched to 115 minutes is a feat beyond my ken.

But, in spite of its very modest ambitions, it manages to be a painless lark. For those who want their fill of stripping males, the film doesn't stint. For those who don't (like myself), there is ample female eye-candy and unsurprisingly, some extraordinary dancing, particularly by Channing Tatum.

Having been a male revue dancer in the past, it was hardly necessary for Tatum to research his role. He definitely came prepared for his dancing scenes and he handled them with professional aplomb. If I may make bold statement, the moves I watched Tatum execute in the film rival anything Gene Kelly ever did onscreen. If that praise seems outlandish and guffaw-inducing, I suggest you see the film for yourself. In an early scene, where we see Tatum alone his workshop, he hears Ginuwine's Pony on his radio, which he can't help but move his body to. The scene is a Flashdance moment and an impressive performance by Tatum, who uses his workbench and work space as an improvised dance stage.

Mike joins the dance troupe as they make their way to Myrtle Beach in the van owned by their DJ, Tobias (comedian Gabriel Iglesias). His former dance partners; Tito (Adam Rodriguez), Big Dick Richie (Joe Manganiello), Tarzan (Kevin Nash) and Ken (Matt Bomer) share the van space. Not much in the way of interpersonal conflict is seen or heard among the dancers. Other than a few moments of bickering, the group interacts harmoniously.

Out on the highway, Tobias loses control of the van, causing a crash. His hospitalization means the dancers will be without his MC services at the stripper convention. Finding an alternative mode of transportation, the guys stop off at a house run by an old flame of Mike's named Rome (Jada Pinkett-Smith), whose place doubles as a male strip club. She also acts as an MC in her own establishment.

Old boyfriend/girlfriend strife between Mike and Rome surfaces and past-grievances get aired out. While the troupe wanders among the rooms, they see ladies lining the walls as strippers dance and gyrate against women randomly selected from the crowd. Before long, Rome challenges Mike to perform, with predictable results. Mike electrifies the female audience, inciting them to rain dollar bills down upon his shirtless body.

As Mike and the troupe set back on the road, they use Rome's connections to coax lodgings from her friend Nancy Davidson (Andie MacDowell; ever-ravishing); a southern belle living lavishly in a palatial spread. When the men arrive and avail themselves of the place, they happen upon Nancy, who is conveniently keeping company with a group of lovely friends. Though the meeting threatens to morph into an orgy, conversation breaks out; which is an occasion for the men and women to trade stories of relationship woe. The setting is also a pretext for Mike to revisit a woman he met in earlier scenes named Zoe (an underwhelming Amber Heard), who just happens to be an associate of Nancy's. Zoe is a drifter who is always one misfortune away from "the pole," as Mike refers to the female stripper's life.

Nothing much happens at Nancy's house though she and Big Dick Richie manage to hook-up.
Later, when the group reaches the convention, they find they have to wheedle a spot on the convention itinerary from one of Rome's old friends; Paris (Elizabeth Banks). Spot secured, the men set about building props and designing costumes for their show. The show itself serves as the film's narrative zenith and allows us to see each member of the troupe perform solo for what is supposed to be their stripping swan song.

I don't know that the film has any message or is really about anything other than male strippers titillating women. The few shoddy back stories and the under-conceived, undercooked romance between Mike and Zoe are feeble attempts at drama or romance or something. The story itself is as flimsy as the cheesy costumes and characters the men affect onstage. Without the dance numbers and Tatum's inspired dance routines, the film readily evaporates like tissue paper in seething magma. Too bad. The first film was able to make Mike's and the lives of his colleagues be about something a a little more than dancing. This film is pure pecs, pelvic thrusts and women in the throes of intense arousal. What could I or anyone else really expect? But it does its job and women looking for a spicy night at the movies can experience male revue without bleeding dollar bills. For the heterosexual male audience (all two of us); well, you have Elizabeth Banks, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Andie MacDowell to ogle. Be content with that.

Don't expect a third installment. I can't imagine Channing Tatum would entertain the idea. But never dismiss the possibility either. You know it isn't beyond some misguided soul in Hollywood to keep all of this going. They haven't tried Magic Mike in 3D. Could it happen? I don't want to know.