Neve Campbell Movie:

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		Used Price: $23.66
		MPAA Rating: R (Restricted) Media: DVD

Editorial Review:
Saturday Night Fever it's not--call it more like Sunday Morning Leftovers. This portrait of the legendary Manhattan disco and its colorful cofounder, Steve Rubell, plays like the outtakes of a much more interesting film--where's the sex, the drugs, the classic disco music? (It shouldn't surprise viewers that Miramax and writer-director Mark Christopher had a falling-out over the final cut of the film; Miramax prevailed.) Considering that the essence of Studio 54 was about the rich and beautiful, it seems a bit unwise to focus on the poor and only-somewhat-beautiful, namely Shane (Ryan Phillippe), a Jersey boy who gets taken in by the razzle-dazzle of the disco era. Crossing the river, Shane finds another, more exciting life at Studio 54 as a shirtless bartender, and soon finds himself partying with the crème de la crème--and smitten with comely soap star Julie (Neve Campbell). The permutations of the story are familiar; if you've never seen VH1's Behind the Music documentary take on Studio 54 you'll find this film enjoyable, but unlike that exhaustive portrait, too many elements are missing. Most of Phillippe's performance seems to have ended up on the cutting-room floor (although his chiseled torso gets maximum exposure), Campbell's role is basically a glorified cameo, and Breckin Meyer and Salma Hayek, as Phillippe's only true pals, are wasted. The one true gem of the film, though, is Mike Myers's take on the late Steve Rubell, an inspired high-wire performance that balances humor and tragedy without ever giving in to camp or pathos. Had this been a more well-received movie, he'd be remembered come Oscar time--his drunken proposition of Philippe is a minor treasure. The soundtrack does feature some unknown chestnuts and a few new remixes, including an inspired disco version of--believe it or not--Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind." --Mark Englehart

54 [Region 2] Reviews:
Interesting but by no means engrossing
2009-08-25 - It veers into melodrama more than a few times. Mike Meyers is cast against type and pulls it off wonderfully. He is perhaps the lone cast member who emerges with his acting reputation intact.

I find the story of Studio 54 a fascinating one. It was the right club in the right city at the right time, and co-run by just the kind of guy (Rubell) who would never have been permitted in had he not owned the place.

I wasn't expecting "54" to be a documentary, but it somehow disappoints on many levels. Phillippe and Campbell are pretty enough, but not particularly solid actors. They look and sound the same in every movie I've seen them in. The time spent on his pursuit of her and their brief relationship could have come out of any of a hundred movies, so it kind of bogs this one down.

This movie seems to have been painted by the numbers. Perhaps it was a better film on paper (or before Miramax reportedly meddled with it), but the end result was more bland than glam.

"What Nightlife In New York Was Like In 1978"
2009-07-09 - Studio 54 was the hottest nightclub in the country back in the late '70's. Celebrities like Liza Minnilli, Diana Ross, Suzanne Summers, and more were often sighted there and you either had to have a certain look or have good contacts to get in. Studio 54 was actually an old TV studio where daytime soaps like "Love of Life" were filmed, and by the mid 1970's Steve Rubell decided to make this old studio the hottest and treandiest nightclub in New York City.
"54" is about Steve Rubell's Studio 54, its inhabitants and characters, and Rubell's ultimate downfall because he refused to claim a lot of Studio 54's cash from the IRS. The plot follows how a young naive man, played beautifully by Ryan Phillpe, comes to Studio 54, meets Rubell, and becomes an employee at the nightclub. Through the Phillpe character we see the rise and fall of Rubell's astonishing empire.
Mike Myers (who plays Rubell), Thelma Hayek, and Neve Campbell all star.
The DVD is barebones, but it comes in widescreen format (1.85:1), there is a music video that accompanies the set, and there is a chapter search. The music is flawless so if your a fan of late '70's disco you will enjoy the film.

All That Glitters Is Gritty
2009-04-26 - I grew up in the Seventies but the Studio 54 mentality kind of flew under my radar. Now if you're talking about another famed New York nightspot, CBGB, you're talking my language. Regardless, I found "54" eminently intriguing and watchable. The film is not so much a celebration of the nightlife but rues the decay that ended the party. Makes you wonder if the makers of the film were partisans or foes of the disco lifestyle. Ryan Phillippe is quite good as Shane, a working-class Jersey kid, who is seduced by the artifice of easy sex and drugs that 54 offered. The performance that is a real eye opener is Mike Myers as owner Steve Rubell. This is probably the best work Myers has ever done onscreen. His Rubell can best be described as a decadent ringmaster who uses hedonism to orchestrate his debauched circus. Studio 54 is a mere footnote in the culture but this is a good film.

More like the fake Studio 54 in Vegas
2009-02-20 - How can an eleven year old movie feel more dated than its decades older subject matter? When it chooses to concentrate the zeitgeist of a decade into a simple-minded "don't do drugs" morality tale. In addition, the film is cynical, naive, historically incomplete, borderline homophobic, and regionally offensive to both New Jersey and New York City! No plot point is fully explored, and some are just abandoned mid way through (the father?!). And despite the critical accolades, I thought Mike Myers portrayal of Steve Rubell was just another vampy facet of his Austin Powers or Cat in the Hat character. He played it as more of a klutzy impression than a living person with real flaws. Had any single uncomfortable scene with Rubell, and there were many, been given more than five minutes of screen time, it might have been a very different and effective film.

In the end, "54" doesn't have a leg to stand on. It can't successfully moralize against the supposed slick emptiness of disco because it is far emptier at its core, and the story it's trying to tell us is older than the hills. All this movie did was make me long for a time when everything wasn't so corporate and sanitized. My favorite character is probably the recreation of the giant half moon face, with the automated light up coke spoon, hung above the stage in the club. Just imagine telling your investors you want one of those today!

Please release the original cut!!
2008-07-20 - The original cut does exist. In fact, it was shown last week in Los Angeles at "Outfest", the gay and lesbian film festival. Hopefully they are planning to release it soon, maybe for the 10 year anniversary edition??