Last weekend, settling into my seat at an Austin theater for Steven Soderbergh’s latest Magic Mike installment, Magic Mike’s Last Dance, a wave of dread washed over me. The audience was… boisterous. Every seat was taken by groups of women who seemed to be celebrating something, judging by the proliferation of penis straws and the general bachelorette party vibe. As someone who typically avoids events encouraging forced fun, I braced myself for an uncomfortable viewing experience of Magic Mike’s Last Dance.
Given the franchise, centered on Channing Tatum and the world of male stripping, a lively audience for Magic Mike’s Last Dance should have been predictable. The “WOOOO!” energy was, in retrospect, entirely expected. Yet, I was caught off guard, as were my two companions. However, what truly surprised me was not the audience, but my own reaction: I found myself genuinely enjoying Magic Mike’s Last Dance. And no, it wasn’t solely due to the Alamo Drafthouse’s beverage service.
Let’s be clear: Magic Mike’s Last Dance, which follows Mike as he’s tasked with creating a strip show in a historic London theater by his lover and employer, Max (played with a unique blend of excellence and awkwardness by Salma Hayek), isn’t a cinematic masterpiece. The plot of watch magic mike’s last dance is flimsy, the acting occasionally veers into melodrama, and the script features lines that often defy logic. Despite these shortcomings, Magic Mike’s Last Dance is undeniably entertaining, precisely because of its flaws. (It must be said, Tatum’s talent for delivering iconic one-liners like “Sup?” is unparalleled, grounding the film’s absurdity with a needed touch of bro-ish charm.)
Having spent the last few years largely watching movies at home, my standards for theatrical experiences have risen. Why spend money on a forgettable action movie when the comfort of my couch allows access to cinematic classics like The Godfather or the equally vital Something’s Gotta Give? What I had lost, however, was the ability to surrender to the cinematic experience, to use critic Dwight Garner’s phrase, “submit to the spell being cast.” Magic Mike’s Last Dance conjures a surprisingly potent spell. For an evening of lighthearted fun and unexpected enjoyment, you should absolutely consider to watch magic mike’s last dance in a theater near you.
