Magic MikeMovie Reviews

Go
Avg. Critic Score: 72 out of 100 Generally favorable reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
17 not for kids
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 100
    San Francisco Chronicle | Mick LaSalle

    If it falls short of greatness, it's not by much - and it could end up growing with the years. At the very least, it is exceptional and one of the best and most original pictures to come along in 2012. Read full review

  • 91
    Entertainment Weekly | Owen Gleiberman

    The movie is Mike's story, and Channing Tatum proves himself a true movie star. His Mike glides through the world with the ease of a god, and on stage he's electrifying. Read full review

  • 90
    The Hollywood Reporter |

    The raunchiest, funniest and most enjoyably nonjudgmental American movie about selling sex since "Boogie Nights." Read full review

  • 88
    Boston Globe | Ty Burr

    Director Steven Soderbergh is working very near the top of his game here, and if Magic Mike tells an old, old story about a young man, his talent, his rise, and his fall - see everything from "Saturday Night Fever" to "Boogie Nights" - he brings the confidence of a born filmmaker and a cast that's sharper than their characters and ready to play. Read full review

  • 80
    New York Daily News | Elizabeth Weitzman

    For starters, it's a pleasure to see Matthew McConaughey - a gifted actor who can't hide his boredom in trivial work - finally settle into the role for which he was born. Read full review

  • 75
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    Almost as impressive as Tatum's moves are his comic flair and breezy grace. He proved his comic talents earlier this year in "21 Jump Street" and shows them off winningly here. Read full review

  • 70
    Wall Street Journal | Joe Morgenstern

    The process is called acting, and the man (Tatum) in the title role of Steven Soderbergh's flashy, not-so-trashy entertainment does it so well that the debate should be officially ended. Read full review

  • 63
    Philadelphia Inquirer | Steven Rea

    An odd and entertaining mix of backstage melodrama, indie verite, and "Showgirls" kitsch, the usual gender stereotypes are upturned. Read full review

  • 60
    Movieline |

    The divide between Tatum as performer and Tatum as actor gives the film an interesting unsteadiness. Read full review

  • 50
    Rolling Stone | Peter Travers

    Magic Mike slowly degenerates into a simplistic cautionary fable. I didn't see that coming from a sharp observer like Soderbergh. Read full review

View more reviews for Magic Mike on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says not for kids Cheerful stripper comedy is too sexy, mature for kids.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that Magic Mike is an ensemble drama about a group of male strippers (played by Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey, among others), so there's a great deal of nudity. Although there's no complete "full monty," every dance sequence includes the guys stripping down to tiny thongs that show their butts and highlight their genitals. In one scene, a penis is briefly pumped before a man goes on stage, and several sex scenes feature topless women. Language is also quite strong, with "f--k" used in almost every scene. There's also lots of drinking and some drug use; an underage character nearly dies from an overdose. And two henchmen rough up someone they're trying to intimidate. Bottom line? The amount of nudity, language, and substance use make this drama too mature for anyone under 17.
  • Families can talk about how Magic Mike depicts the male strippers. Is their lifestyle glamorized? What are consequences of being a stripper for Mike?
  • Is the nudity in the movie gratuitous or is part of the plot development? Is there a different standard for nudity/sexuality in movies versus violence? Should there be?
  • Does knowing that Tatum started off his career in entertainment as a stripper in real life change how you think of him?
The good stuff
  • message true2 Positive messages: For a movie about strippers, there are plenty of messages about the nature of unconditional friendship and ambition, the importance of family, and the difference between who you are what you do for a living.
  • rolemodels true2 Positive role models: Despite his flaws, Mike looks out for his friends, works hard, and tries his best to make the most of his situation. He's also selfless and willing to bail out Adam, even though Adam definitely doesn't "deserve" the sacrifice. All of the Xquisite strippers are brotherly toward each other and help each other out when necessary. Brooke is the voice of reason who tries to convince Adam to get a normal day job and encourages Mike to take a close look at his dreams and whether he's actually going to achieve them by being a stripper.
What to watch for
  • violence false2 Violence: A drug dealer's two henchmen ransack Mike's house and rough him up a bit. There's a disturbing scene when a guy looks like he might be dead (but he's just unconscious).
  • sex false5 Sexy stuff: Many scenes of nearly naked men performing stripteases. Most of the strip routines involve the men shedding down to a thong that shows off their butt and cups their penis. Several sex scenes feature topless women and men naked from behind. In one brief scene, part of a penis is shown in the foreground being "pumped" under the table before the character hits the stage (full "side" nudity rather than full "frontal," basically).
  • language false5 Language: Constant swearing -- the word "f--k" and its derivatives are used in nearly every scene. Strong language also includes "motherf--ker," "s--t," "a--hole," "bitch," "damn," "p---y," "d--k," "c--k," "crap," "t-ts," "ass," "hell," "douche," "goddamn," "oh my God," and more.
  • consumerism false2 Consumerism: Two Ford F-150 trucks and a Honda Accord are in several scenes, and in a couple of shots, brands like Pella Windows, Waffle House, and Cadillac are briefly glimpsed.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false4 Drinking, drugs and smoking: The strippers do a lot of drinking -- both to attract new customers and to have fun. All of the characters are over 21 except for Adam, who's 19. They drink cocktails, beer, and hard liquor and take (and sell) pills of Ecstasy and drink G (liquid Ecstasy). The underage character nearly has an overdose and is found passed out in a pool of his own vomit.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

Looking for more reviews? Movies.com Critics Say:

Dave White

3.5

Dave White Profile See Dave White's Profile

Heaven knows they're miserable now. Read full review See Dave White's on MOVIENAME on Movies.com

Read more movie reviews at Movies.com

Exclusive Features

Cast Interviews Exclusive Cast Interviews Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer and Matthew McConaughey tell us what their stripper theme songs would be while Adam Rodriguez and Matt Bomer talk about breaking down walls of discomfort. Cine Latino: Adam Rodriguez Thanks ‘Magic Mike’ for a Better Life (Exclusive) Adam Rodriguez talks about his new career path and the many Soderbergh lessons he learned while shooting in a thong.