Nothing but wanna-be party monsters

Rating: 6/10 (4 June 2013)

Studio 54 was one of the defining clubs of the seventies. Known for its lavish parties, limitless energy, and the known hangout for A-list celebrities, its inviting, yet elusive atmosphere completely challenged the party-life at that point in time. It was a cultural staple that has now faded into a curious piece of history.
It's only logical that a film make an attempt to capture the energy and the enigma of the popular nightclub, and Mark Christopher's 54 does just that at a basic level. Enthusiasts of the nightclub will find the atmosphere of the film adoring and majestic, while detractors or outsides will find little to note here. This is more a Cliff Notes representation of an enormous cultural staple. Think the social change the Vietnam War provided being summed up in a pamphlet of information.
The film stars Ryan Phillippe as Shane O'Shea, a young Jersey boy who lives a pretty unremarkable life until he ups the courage to cross the New York/Jersey border and becomes a bartender at Studio 54. Not long after, he meets the aspiring singer Anita (Salma Hayek) and her overprotective husband, Greg (Breckin Meyer) and gradually becomes closer and closer with Anita and alienating Greg in the meantime. Shane also finds himself slightly at odds with the egomaniac club-owner Steve Rubell (Mike Myers), who consistently reminds him he is an easily-replaceable pretty face. Overtime, Shane becomes sucked into the twisted drug culture that Studio 54 bears, along with the heavily dramatic lifestyle, which will ultimately cause his demise and the club's.
One would anticipate a film like 54 be able to capture the strange, uncouth wackiness of the club along with being able to bring the raw focus had by a film like Boogie Nights and the sophistication of a film like Casino. Unfortunately, we don't get much of either. 54 is a fine examination of a club, but it's too unwilling to go beneath the surface and really expose anything. It plays safe, hitting the right notes at the right time. Never does it become inoffensive or shifts its tone into a rawer, more unadulterated look.
Both of the aforementioned films had the luxury of surprising their audiences whether it was in the way of style or in the way of content. 54 remains something of an effigy in terms of style; it features rather muted colors and not a lot of dance floor excitement as the club was known for. We get a more behind the scenes look, which is nice, but rarely do we dive much into the characters to a get a sense of what they're truly about. We know a bit more about the characters than the average caricatures that pass in a raunchy teen flick but not by a whole lot.
Returning to the point of the style of the particular film, it's all pretty bland and inert. The excitement and energy that existed in the club isn't translated well enough to film. If 54 wanted to take on a persona equivalent to that of, say, European art-house, what could've unfolded would've been sure beauty in the way of color and vibe. It settles for a mediocre palette of redundant colors - that is when the film chooses to show them off.
At least we have a slew of solid performances here; Ryan Phillippe is strong as the lead character, portraying his rise believably and his downfall professionally, Salma Hayek is interesting to watch as always, Breckin Meyer gets a few laughs, and Mike Myers gives the best or his worst performance of his career depending on how you look at it. While no performance is necessarily bad, they all occupy an uncertain state in the sense that nobody knows if they're supposed to be serious or satirical. Myers' character seems to be from a different film, playing Rubell with a looser persona rather than Phillippe, who seems to be playing Shane with complete seriousness.
54 is benefited by a strong cast and favorable writing from director Christopher, but it's relatively too safe and too restricted to truly call itself the encompassing film on an entire culture.
Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Salma Hayek, Neve Campbell, Breckin Meyer, Mike Myers, and Sela Ward. Directed by: Mark Christopher.