Striptease (1996) - 1/17/2012

Watching this movie was a function of my current job...and no, not stripping, but writing about a the worlds in this movie.  I didn't HATE this movie, but it was a little corny.  The sappy music, the pathetic attempt to save the daughter, the fantastically illegal kidnapping of that kid that keeps happening and no one seems to notice...yeah, all made it not exactly award-winning.  I think it was also a little miss-titled.  Yes, she becomes a stripper...but most of the movie is about her trying to get her kid back.  It did have great moments in the club - very realistic - but they were glittering moments in the film.  To be honest, I don't think anyone expected anything Oscar-worthy from this film, but I did learn some stuff.

Things I liked:

• The dance scenes were really the most well done part of the film.  They were well choreographed, cleaner than most clubs (even nice ones) and a lot more talent.  A lot of women in the clubs just sway up there...there's no...talent really.  They do the classic moves, but that's it.  This movie had every dancer as a really talented dancer, so you wanted to watch them dance.  Unrealistic, but it kept your attention.
• The customer-dancer obsession was well done.  You see guys do anything for these dancers they don't know.
• The relationship between Demi's character and her ex was pretty realistic.  No, not all exes are using the daughter to steal wheelchairs, but just the tension between them was pretty real.

Things I didn't like:

• It tired to be too serious.  The plot was too much for this type of movie.
• I think there's a gap in staying inside the club for a movie.
• The ending just gets absurd...
• The dramatic music every time she and her daughter are reunited was a bit much.

Overall, okay movie, and I learned a lot on what's appealing for this type of film.