Twisting movie plot lacks steady direction

By Jimmy Chai, On-Line Forty-Niner

Tuesday, September 1, 1998

The storyline of "Studio 54" has potential, but Writer and Director Mark Christopher took that seemingly good idea and ran it through the Hollywood washer.

MOVIE REVIEW (R)

The movie is full of twists and turns that never find a steady direction. The journey that began in the beginning is never fully realized.

In the film a young coming-of-age Shane (Ryan Phillippe) gets caught up in the weird and twisted life of stars, glitz and glamour housed in the club world known as Studio 54.

Placed in the 1970s, Shane rides the fiber-optic train of shmoozing and networking to place himself in the limelight.

Steve Rubell (Mike Myers), the sexually perplexing club owner, utilizes Shane's young and fresh boyish appeal as a bartender.

With classic clubroom tales of deception, drugs and sex, "Studio 54" displays the wild, rebellious times of the decade.

Christopher's portrayal of the era is visually stimulating, but does not go beyond the screen and root itself in the real world.

Phillippe, who has his shirt on for only the first 15 minutes, grabs attention through his well-built physique. With a story that relies heavily on the lead character, his performance is a mirror without the silver backing.

Myers' performance lacked the depth that neither he nor the script provided.

His comical antics, which resembled that of the evil doctor from "Austin Powers," seem forced by the director to push the movie through what other wise would be a continually dull scene.

Salma Hayek ("Desperato"), and Neve Campbell ("Scream"), round out the attractive cast (excluding Myers), but their performances will only receive minor credit.