Male stripping seems like it would be an awesome job!

Rating: 8/10 (2 July 2015)

'MAGIC MIKE XXL': Four Stars (Out of Five)
Sequel to the 2012 hit stripper flick 'MAGIC MIKE'. This one has the star, Channing Tatum, reprising the title role (one of his most popular parts); but the original's director, Steven Soderbergh, is only serving as an executive producer this time around. Gregory Jacobs, who was the first assistant director on the original movie, directs this sequel. Reid Carolin did return to write the script, but Matthew McConaughey didn't return to reprise his popular costarring role (due to money restrictions); Alex Pettyfer and Cody Horn are also absent. Actors Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Kevin Nash and Adam Rodriguez did happily reprise their parts. They're joined by newcomers Amber Heard, Jada Pinkett Smith, Elizabeth Banks, Andie MacDowell, Gabriel Iglesias, Michael Strahan and Donald Glover. I don't think it's quite as memorable a film, or as well made, as the original, but it's close.
The story (if you can call it that) begins three years after the events of the original. Mike (Tatum) was recently dumped by his girlfriend (Horn, in the original), who he had planned to marry, and his business is struggling. It turns out that Mike's old stripper boss, Dallas (McConaughey, in the original), abandoned his old stripper team and started a new touring show, with Mike's old protégé, Adam (Pettyfer, in the original). So Mike's old buddies call on him, to join them for one last big performance. Mike reluctantly agrees and a chaotic road trip adventure begins (fueled by stripping, drugs and sex with older women).
The movie is definitely not as magical as the original, especially without Soderbergh at the helm (and minus Matthew McConaughey), but it's still a lot of fun. Male stripping seems like it would be an awesome job, if you're good at it, and these films do a great job glamorizing it. These movies also have some amazing dance moves (especially by Tatum), some good laughs and some nice male bonding (especially in this sequel). Jacobs does a more than adequate job, trying to fill his old mentor's shoes, and the cast is fantastic. It's not quite as memorable, or as classic, as the original, but it's pretty damn close.
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