54
As reviewed by Scott Nowlin
Starring : Ryan Phillipe, Salma Hayek, Neve Campbell, Mike Myers
Grade: C
Here it is. A new slasher movie starring Neve Campbell! Actually, not really, but I would understand how one might believe it is, considering that the two and a half hour running time was cut down to a much more watchable 90 minutes. The result is a film that isn’t even half as effective as it should have been.
As some of you might know, Studio 54 was the hottest disco in Manhatten, up until the late seventies, in which its owner, Mr. Rubell, was arrested for something involving tax fraud... like Al Capone. The film version is produced by Miramax (with the best buzz machine in the business), and stars a very wide range of up and coming young actors, including Ryan Phillipe, Salma Hayek, and the always impressive Neve Campbell. Moreover, it features Mike Myers in his first dramatic role. It should have been a hit. It should have been great. It wasn’t.
Before I rip the film apart on details such as story and character development, let’s look at the bright sides. For one, Mike Myers handles his role perfectly. His performance and character is dynamic, entertaining, and Oscar worthy. Had the film been centered around him, as it should have been, 54 could have turned into a huge hit. There is also some good to be found in the decent performance of Neve Campbell. Her Jersey accent lacks something to be desired, but she gives all of her dialogue a freshness and crispness, where the other actors fumble.
Unfortunately, Ms. Campbell has been virtually cut out of the film, and Mike Myers’ brilliant performance was relegated to a supporting role. Instead, the film is handed over to Ryan Phillipe (who got the hook in last years I Know What You Did Last Summer), whose character is boring and unmotivated, and his performance lacks the strength required for the lead role. Salma Hayek, as an aspiring singer, is also wasted (and also seems to have been cut out of the film). But, the real problem with 54 lies in its purpose. It isn’t a story of the downfall of the legendary club. It isn’t really a story at all. Instead, the film exists mearly as a tribute to Studio 54, and only barely succeeds with that. And instead of rooting for Ryan Phillipe, our hero, we’re forced to try to look around him at the other bright performances and scenery. Why couldn’t we just get a story about Neve Campbell’s plight to make connections in the club, while Mike Myers fought to keep the party going?
You can’t really blame Ryan Phillipe for the film’s failure. He may not be the best actor in Hollywood, but he really didn’t have anything to work with. Not only is his character the least interesting in the film, his dialogue is also mostly poor (to non-existant) and director Mark Christopher never exactly figured out how to direct him. His direction is much more solid with Mike Myers, the main interest of the film. His performance is strong enough to direct itself, although a decent screenplay wouldn’t have hurt. Salma Hayek looked great, and her acting job wasn’t terribe, but she had hardly any screen time at all. She, too, has been cut out of the film.
Usually, the fact that a film didn’t have a story, was mostly poorly directed, and had a boring lead character would be more than enough for me to despise it. Still, there were some entertaining aspects, and it’s always fun watching Neve Campbell try to break her Scream image. 54 isn’t an entirely terribe film. It’s just not any good.