5 Films #4: Channing Tatum

For part 4 of my blog series highlighting notable or infamous films in an actor's career, I've chosen Mr. Channing Tatum alias The ChanMan. He went from someone I didn't really care for to someone I sort of liked to one of my favorite movie stars. Public and critical reception too has grown favorably in the last few years.

Channing Tatum became one of the biggest box office draws of 2012, releasing three varied films all grossing over $100 million at the box office. Why has he become so popular? Tatum has developed himself a really unique screen persona but one that took a long time and a few misfires before he perfected it.

1. She's the Man (2006; Andy Fickman)
Channing Tatum's big breakout movie was the Shakespeare-inspired comedy She's the Man, where he plays Amanda Bynes' love interest Duke Orsino (named after Twelfth Night's Duke of Orsino). Back when this movie first came out, I thought Tatum's performance was really weak. Looking back on it now, it's clear he was starting to cultivate his own persona: the slightly jockish nice guy who never gets the credit for being smarter than he looks. But Tatum was too young to pull off a persona like that. So he just comes across as a dumb sexy airhead. His comic chops are there but not as refined as they will later become. She's the Man is an enjoyable comedy but Tatum had a lot of tweaking to do regarding his screen persona.

2. Step Up (2006; Anne Fletcher)
I gotta be honest. It's been a while since I saw Step Up but from what I remember it's a typical inner-city Romeo and Juliet type love story set against the world of dance. If I recall correctly, the main attractions here are the dance numbers and that this is the movie where Tatum met his wife and producing partner Jenna Dawan. Tatum's dancing ability is really important to his likability. It sets him apart from other buff leading men. When you're talented at something other people aren't, I think audiences are more likely to find you interesting. And that happened with Tatum following Step Up. He still had work to do with acting but at least he was starting to become more than a handsome face and toned body like so many of his contemporaries.

3. Fighting (2009; Dilo Montiel)
In terms of building his persona as a lovable, slightly more intelligent than one would expect jock, Tatum does quite well in Fighting, another generic movie that has long list of "inspired-by" movies. But Tatum was pretty good in it as Shawn MacArthur, converting stony expressions into existenial confusion. The thoughts behind his blank stares are starting to become clear. Fighting also gave Tatum to exploit his intense physical presence. He owns the movie so much that his rough dialogue delivery doesn't even matter. He's on his way to becoming the star he is today.
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4. 21 Jump Street (2012; Phil Lord and Chris Miller)
It took Tatum about 3 years to truly master his screen presence. After wooing Rachel McAdams and just about everyone else in The Vow, Tatum released this comedy based on the popular 80s drama series. But 21 Jump Street showed yet another side of Tatum. He's funny! And self-aware! As Jenko, he plays the exact kind of dumb, arrogant jock the world thought he was. Except he was clearly spoofing that perception and his performance was smart enough to let everyone know he was  in on the joke. Aside from the physical presence and good looks, the Tatum persona is starting to get a soul and that was the major hurdle blocking the other roles from really clicking.

5. Magic Mike (2012; Steven Soderbergh)
And this brings me to Magic Mike. It's definitely Channing Tatum's best performance and the role which probably would have gotten some awards attention if Magic Mike weren't a movie about male strippers marketed as some zany, sexy girls night out comedy. But Magic Mike is a tragicomic  look at the late 20s existential crisis when young adults start to chase bigger dreams than being rich and partying. Michael Lane alias Magic Mike presents himself as some hunky doof who takes his clothes off for a living in Tampa. But in reality he's a quiet soul full of hopes and dreams on the verge of being realized or destroyed by one wrong decision. All of the elements of Tatum's persona come into play with Magic Mike: the dancing, the intense screen presence, the stammering uncertainty, the hidden intelligence and self-awareness. And they all blend together to make a textured, complex performance.

Other Remarkable Films Starring Channing Tatum
1. Dear John
2. 10 Years
3. Haywire
4. Side Effects
5. The Vow

I know it's a little late but I hope you enjoyed Part 4 of "5 Films." Next up: the beautiful and talented Ms. Scarlett Johansson. Stay tuned.