54

Starring: Ryan Phillippe, Salma Hayek, Neve Campbell, Mike Meyers, Sela Ward, Breckin Meyer, Sherry Stringfield, Ellen Albertini Dow, Noam Jenkins, Mark Ruffalo, Lauren Hutton, Michael York, Justin Bartha (uncredited)
Directed by: Mark Christopher
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
1998

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A young man (Ryan Phillippe) with big dreams starts working at the famous 54 club in New York, where he gets swept up into a world of glamorous celebrities, addiction, and sex.

Review:

Tim: 54 might not have received the greatest reviews from critics, but it's a film I enjoyed. I learned a lot about Club 54, the clientele, and its eventual decline. The film assembled an impressive cast and they delivered strong performances. The movie might have been a bit uneven, but as a whole, I consider this a good movie.

I want to start by focusing on the cast- it's really, really good. The film is headlines by Ryan Phillippe. He really is a talented actor and I enjoyed him in this role. He's just likeable enough for us to connect with him. Phillippe isn't an actor who I would say interacts exceptionally well with the other members of cast, but his performance is impressive. Salma Hayek gives a strong supporting turn. She brings good energy to the film. Neve Campbell was fine- her role is a bit smaller than it should have been and doesn't require to do a whole lot. I don't have any complaints about what she does, but she made a significantly lesser impact on the film than Phillippe or Hayek. Breckin Meyer adds a strong supporting performance, Sela Ward was a great addition, and it was fun seeing Mark Ruffalo in a small role. I also have to call out Ellen Albertini Dow for a small but incredible performance.

I do want to especially call out Mike Meyers. I'm not sure I've ever felt like Meyers is a great actor. He certainly has created some memorable characters and has done some solid voice work, but as an actor, I always thought he was average to slightly below average. With that mindset, I was shocked by how good he was here. I honestly loved his performance. He's nearly unrecognizable, but it's not just the effects to his face- his performance was subtle yet powerful as he embodied this larger-than-life character. This is one of the chief reasons I enjoyed the film as much as I did- Meyers is excellent in the role.

I thought the film did a great job of recreating what must have been the atmosphere around 54. From the constant parade of celebrities, to the nefarious aspects of the club. From drugs and sex, music, alcohol- you really saw all of that on display. It was fascinating to contemplate that a club like this existed. I struggled to come up with any parallels today. Sure, there are always celebrity hot spots, but it felt like nothing even approached what it was like there in the 1970s. It was so entertaining to see this period of time captured on screen. The film does a good job of establishing interesting characters and giving them enough ups-and-downs to hold our attention. The movie isn't always compelling and it feels a little repetitive and slow in the middle, but it succeeds more often than it fails. It certainly revels in the culture that existed within the confines of the club, but I found that illuminating and entertaining.

54 was an enjoyable movie. I never loved it, but I never felt bored or anxious for it to end. It held my attention and I was genuinely interested in the characters. I believe this is a solid, worthwhile film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7



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