Women Against Mike
Katey Rich aside, a significant portion of elite female film critics have gone thumbs-down on Steven Soderbergh‘s Magic Mike (Warner Bros., opening today) and are more than partly responsible for its Rotten Tomatoes grade hugging the low ’80s instead of the low to mid ’90s, where it belongs. As far as I can tell the only extra-brainy, big-gun female critic to come down squarely in support of this Warner Bros. release is N.Y. Times critic Manohla Dargis.
I noted the same pattern a year ago with Bridesmaids. On 5.12.11 I wrote that (a) “certain female critics and bloggers (including Stephanie Zacharek) have either dissed or gone ‘meh’ on Bridesmaids, to which I can only respond ‘what?” But also (b) “thank God for balance and general perception’s sake that N.Y. Times critic Manohla Dargis has come down positive.”
Some kind of upscale feminist nerve was touched by Bridesmaids. Something to do with disputed gender identity or an unwelcome mirror-image issue of some kind. I suspect that Magic Mike is pushing a similar button and arousing a similar ire. Maybe because it echoes the depression of female stripping or because the female characters (aside from Cody Horn) aren’t strong enough or something. Yes, I know — women ticket-buyers are going to deliver at least 60% or 70% of Mike‘s expected weekend earnings (possibly $30 million or better), and yet many progressive-minded female critics have a problem with it.
Consider this post by Indiewire‘s Anne Thompson, one of the more seasoned and plugged-in journo-critics with ties to the industry’s most powerful women. Like many others Thompson was impressed by Magic Mike‘s character currents and socio-economic reflections, but she also said the following: “As for Magic Mike‘s place in the feminists’ history books, further thought and consideration is necessary.”
In other words, it’s probably on the mainstream establishment feminist shit list.
The anti-Mike sorority includes L.A. Weekly/Village Voice critic Karina Longworth, Movieline‘s Alison Willmore, Seattle Times critic Moira MacDonald, About.com’s Rebecca Murray and Flickfilosopher‘s Maryan Johnson. Even the mild-mannered, comme ci comme ca-ish Claudia Puig of USA Today said that “when the focus [of Magic Mike] drifts to more peripheral characters, or follows more serious plot threads, it’s a grind.”
This also from Indiewire‘s Melissa Silverstein: “In general, Magic Mike is not exactly the type of film we write about here on Women and Hollywood. It’s a movie about men and directed by a man. But it seems that the audience for this film is going to be pretty much all women so it’s worthy of looking at.”
Most of my co-workers are female and it occasionally serves as a great microcosm of things. Several of them were woo hooing it up about this movie. ‘Channing Tatum in the buff! Hell yeah!’ I can’t wait to hear their reactions.
What is odd to me is how the critics were thumping Tatum for being a dullard terrible actor a couple years ago withi GI Joe. Now you can see his butt and suddenly he is a critics darling – eh? Is this like one of those actory things like when DeNiro gained weight? Or Harvey Keitel showed his backside. So you show your butt you are suddenly a daring actor?
I kinda think Tatum looks like a long shoreman or a truck driver myself granted I am a guy, so what would I know. Kinda like Taylor Lautner and his nose are increasingly making him look like the same, or maybe someone who works in the fishmarket. I guess these are the handsome guys these days – fishmarket?
Tatum got criticized a few years ago because every bitter critic instantly rags on any young pretty actor and trashes them for not being Robert Mitchum. But then he aligns himself with a few auteurs and all is forgiven. He was good way back in A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints, but in fairness he was dreadful in GI Joe.
Never mind “Mike”… Roger Ebert and Rex Reed both raved about “Ted”! WTFF?
Perhaps the feminatti are tweaked by anything that reeks of male sexual empowerment? After all, the stripper is typically the power player in the equation…
@Mike, I had no interest in seeing Ted until I saw that latest trailer with Wahlberg rattling off the “white trash girl” names. That scene was a cut above McFarlane’s usual schtick. So maybe.
Brad, he’s suddenly a critics darling because he kicked ass in 21 Jump Street and people didn’t realize he had it in him to be as funny as he was.
Everyone involved with GI Joe deserves to be trashed.
Channing Tatum is fucking AWESOME. KING DICK OF THE MULTIPLEX. Think about this –
Every woman wants him, to the point where he’s about to be the ONLY leading man who can open Magic Mike to big numbers. You think they’d show up if it were Leo? Efron? Idris Elba? Mind you, this is after he made The Vow the biggest hit in Screen Gems history. Because women ADORE THIS DUDE.
I would have a problem with this if he didn’t come across as a guy totally without pretension. He comes across as a more likable Ricky Bobby in that scene where he’s being interviewed and he doesn’t know what to do with his hands. Do you think Tatum really cares about the SERIOUS subtextual leanings of some of his films? More importantly, HE DOESN’T HAVE TO.
Plus, the dude can move (for the ladies) AND the dude looks convincing in a tee beating down mooks on 96th street. He’s young, but dude’s a man. I kept waiting for him in A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints to prop Shia onto his shoulder like a pet.
And then look at fucking GI Joe 2. A month before the movie’s gonna come out, the dude WILLS it to 2013 by pulling a Jesus and RISING from the dead, turning essentially a cameo into a part which will necessitate his own CHARACTER POSTERS. Can any leading men pull that off? More importantly, would they be willing to do so by returning for reshoots? No, because Tatum’s a cool dude who is awesome about everything.
Unfortunately I missed screenings to this, but I am AMPED to see Magic Mike. But don’t y’all go get on my case for this one – I can’t imagine NOT seeing this with a date. This is the one movie of the year I just will NOT go stag, and I’m bewildered if any of you buy a ticket and don’t do the same.
Is it some sort of homophobia? Nah, probably the opposite. I need a woman there so CHANNING TATUM DOESN’T MAKE ME GAY FOR HIM. Be careful – it could happen to YOU.
A guy I work with who did some time in the film industry says that Tatum is a cool chap. Not sure I’d go stag to this flick either, though…
Gabe, that’s some compelling (and hilarious) analysis right there, nice job.
Indulged the missus and, because of the excellent reviews, caught this at an 11am matinee. Channing Tatum is excellent in this. I’ve felt like he was a bit of a stiff before, but he’s incredibly natural and likable as Mike. Plus, given his dancing ability – damn impressive, btw – someone should be able to choreograph the hell out of a fight scene for him. Not sure why someone hasn’t taken full advantage of that.
Good flick, solid supporting cast. I liked Cody Horn more than some; thought she fit the part well; and she has that Bailey Quarters vibe (for you WKRP fams).
Basically, it’s Steven Soderbergh’s “Boogie Nights”-lite.
Side note: I was one of 6 guys in a full theater of women at the screening. Three gay guys and three of us with wives/GFs. So Jeff’s call on the %s of dudes seeing this are probably low. At least you get to see Olivia Munn’s breasticles.
when i interviewed Tatum for 21 JS he spent the entire round table looking down and drawing a pencil portrait on the four seasons table cloth …. the director(s) were next and one of them added his animation background to the effort
Bird, for the longest time he was attached to a parkour project. He’s probably the one big star in Hollywood who could make that work.
Fuck. I know Magic Mike’s not a guy flick, but I still have an issue with Seth MacFarlane’s Furry Ruxpin movie being #1. Laziest uninspired shit he’s done since, um, Family Guy, I guess? But the bastard actually has a fresh rating, to boot. Why?
Christ, even Ebert gave Ted 3 1/2 stars.
Flick’s good, Tatum’s a LIMITED actor but within his range he’s great. Not unlike Stallone, really. Soderbergh has total control over his tone, keeps things light without getting goofy or cheesy, has that desaturated yellow tint going on, real vintage, real 70′s alongside the old CLOCKWORK ORANGE era Warner Bros. logo. It’s an easy watch, and of course Matthew McConaughey’s boss. Totally sends up his image.
But Cody Horn’s about as emotionally vivid as Jeff’s cowboy hat. The romance dies on the vine.
FIGHTING is totally underrated. The film is sort of a mess, but it’s a completely stylish sweaty New York mess that genuinely feels like it was filmed in the 1970s. Terrence Howard giving a hilarious performance.
As for the gay-fear of Magic Mike… if the film was sold as a sort of semi-gritty portrayal of working men trying to make ends meet, it’d probably have less of the stigma. That said, WB are smart and actually wanted to make money off this film, so the entire thing was branded as a girls’ night out. Which makes complete marketing sense, but also makes it tricky for your standard bearded movie geek to check it out on opening weekend.
Never mind “Mike”… Roger Ebert and Rex Reed both raved about “Ted”!
A guy I work with who did some time in the film industry says that Tatum is a cool chap. Not sure I’d go stag to this flick either, though…