Year:
1998
Studio: Miramax
Films
Movie:
3/5
DVD:
1/5
Teaser
Shane O'Shea (Ryan Phillippe) wants to get out of his suburban
lower-income life in New Jersey and go to New York. The big life. And
one of the New York icons is Studio 54, an exclusive nightclub where a
few lucky commoners can rub elbows with the rich and famous. Shane and
his friends try to get in but only Shane catches Steve Rubell's (Mike
Myers) eye. Rubell is the owner of 54 and takes a liking to Shane, who
is hired and quickly rises through the ranks to bartender.
At 54 Shane meets Anita (Salma Hayek), coat rack girl and aspiring
songstress, and her husband Greg Randazzo (Breckin Meyer), who is stuck
in the lower ranks of 54. Shane and his friends want to make it big and
Studio 54 is the milieu where they're going to make their try. All in
an environment of song and dance and drugs and sex. They're out of
their league and they love every minute of it.
Movie
This is the second time I've watched "54" and this time I was able to
sit through it. It's not a bad movie. We have the story of Shane and to
a lesser extent Anita and Greg. Shane is thrust into this world and
furiously tries to swim and become big. To some extent it's one of
those coming-of-age stories where our hero leaves home for the first
time and finds out just how real it is out there.
Personally, though, I just don't relate to the story. It's set in that
weird period where it's before my time but not before my parents' time.
If it was set in the Middle Ages then I'd know it's total fiction. If
it's set in the 80's then I can relate it to my experiences growing up.
But the 70's are a time I hear about but didn't experience. And I
instinctively recoil from it. "Certainly my generation did it better
and with more style." "That is like, *so* yesterday." Same kind of
problem I have with "Almost Famous" which people a few olders than me
love and people my age think "that's nice but what's the big deal?"
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Actors
Ryan Phillipe is the star and does a good job with and without a shirt.
Salma Hayek is beautiful and makes me wonder why I don't see her in
more mainstream movies. Neve Campbell is listed third but has a
relatively minor role as the Jersey girl who made it big as a soap
opera star. Mike Meyers is brilliant, or maybe that's because I'm so
used to seeing him in comedic roles that anything serious looks
brilliant. Sela Ward has practically a cameo appearance and still gets
listed ahead of Breckin Meyer, who also does a good job without a
shirt. Sherry Stringfield has a small role and I didn't recognize her
for a few scenes. Her career has gotten nowhere since she left E.R.
DVD
Unfortunately the DVD has no extras. Just a music video for "If You
Could Read My Mind" which is well done. Plus "Recommendations" which
are just thinly veiled advertisements disguised as "Bonus Material". I
just hate it when the commercials are an "extra feature" of the DVD.
Other than that there's nothing remarkable here. At least the DVD Menu
isn't full of long transitions and other areas that you have to sit
through each and every time.
Recommendations
If you love or grew up in the 70's then this movie is probably for you.
Otherwise I'd skip it unless you have lots of free time. |