Striptease (1996)

5/10

epic_of_mayhem4 October 2006

for those of you who don't know (and I'm sure there's a lot of you) Strip Tease was actually a book written by Carl Hiaasen, and a damn good book at that. Brilliant characters, an intriguing storyline, hilarious incidents, sex, violence, the works...

I gave the movie a 5 because Robert Patrick and Burt Reynolds were absolutely hysterical and on-point (I'm sure THEY actually READ the book), but aside from those two gems this movie was a disgrace.

What happened to the plot?!? What happened to like half the story?!? What happened to my self respect?!? Why change the ending?!? The story was enthralling and thoroughly enjoyable when I read the book, the movie (breasts considered) not so much..

There's a gratuitous 3 minute topless dancing scene, followed by 3 minutes of Demi and the little girl crying and being superdramatic. CHOOSE which audience you're marketing this movie towards! Women won't respect a nonsense T&A fest and men don't want to see a bunch of sappy overdramatics when the movie was advertised like a softcore porno flick.

The fact that a BOOK about strippers was exponentially better than the movie.. that's saying something.

Anonymous Disgrunted Hiaasen Fan

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5/10

Good or bad? Funny or ridiculous? Misunderstood satirical masterpiece or...

Galina_movie_fan12 August 2005

...the flop that deserves six of its Razzies and the nomination for Worst Picture of the Decade?

I think, "Striptease" (1996) directed by Andrew Bergman based on the book by Carl Hiaasen, is all of the above - a curious mixture of laughs, satire, absurdism, darkness, silliness, and over-seriousness. The latter comes from Demi Moore who plays Erin Grant, the FBI secretary - losing her job and the custody over her daughter to no good small time crook wheelchairs stealing husband (Robert Patrick looking and acting like a stoned, redneck version of Gary Oldman) and who takes a job as an exotic dancer in the local club "Eager Beaver" to earn money for her court appeal. In the club she becomes the hottest attraction and meets many...interesting characters, the most colorful being, of course Congressman David Dilbeck (Burt Reynolds) who "just loves naked women. It's a character flaw" and who is absolutely smitten by Erin. Erin also makes friends with a club bouncer, Shad (Ving Rhames) who is perhaps the best thing in the movie - clever, sharp, sarcastic, with the great sense of humor. One scene where Shad tells to Dilbeck's bodyguards that Meryl Streep used to work in "Eager Beaver" as an exotic dancer and they seem to believe him is brilliant. If only everything had been as good as he was we would've had a really great movie. What do we have now? Well, Demi Moore looks really good with the minimum clothes on. I mean, the woman was a 33 year old mother of three at the time and her body was marvel to behold. I just think that she was too serious, intense, and solemn doing the striptease numbers after all it is not only strip it is tease, too. It goes to her acting in the movie in general. Reynolds seemed to have a lot of fun with his sleazy drunk Congressman David Dilbeck, election-day choice of Christian groups and a lot of laughs comes from his mannerism and quotes. There are plenty of laughs, actually, in "Striptease" but quite often they seem like the wrong and unintentional type for the movie material.

Who had the best laugh? I'd guess, Demi Moore did after been paid $12.5 million one of the highest paychecks for an actress back then.

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5/10

Not as bad as they say it is, but still pretty poor...

MovieAddict201613 February 2004

Striptease

Dire, but strangely fascinating, Demi Moore vehicle about a single mother who turns to a life of stripping in order to gain custody of her daughter. (Robert Patrick is the drug-stealing ex-husband who gains custody of the child.) Ving Rhames is a bodyguard and Burt Reynolds has a nice co-star role as a sleazy political candidate. This movie was extremely bashed when it came out, but it's better than "Showgirls," and sort of watchable. If you don't expect much of a story, then this is for you...be warned, however, that there is a lot of stripteasing in this film.

** / *****

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I feel bad for the author.

snafooey16 February 1999

I read the book first and I can only say that I feel sorry for its author, Carl Hiassen. The book was an extremely funny satire of capitalism, politics, gender roles, etc. and the film was just an excuse for the lead actor to show off her surgically enhanced body. I mentioned the book in a university tutorial for my course on literary satire, and no one would believe me that it was not trash because they could not separate it from the movie which followed it. Too bad - the book is good enough to have warranted a script that stays true to the original story rather than exchange wit and sophistication for extended dance sequences and the lubricatory possibilities of yogurt.

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3/10

Not Without My G-String!

Bilko-312 June 2000

The summary line above came from my wife after seeing Andrew Bergman take a really funny book by Carl Hiaasen and turn it into a "Sincere Sally Field Gutsy Mom Works As A Stripper Even Though It Means Shame And Disgust Because It's For Her *Daughter*!!!" movie.

Ving Rhames and Burt Reynolds deliver deft, wonderful performances that are completely sunk by Demi Moore's Jawline Of Grim Determination. The book pointed out that the ones degraded by stripping are actually the men, who turn into drooling, brainless fools, while the women have the control and collect the money. The movie has to add a scene where the daughter sees the mother dancing (oh horrors!) and the mother has to explain her Sordid Living to the Innocent Babe.

Also, in the book, Erin is a top dancer who doesn't have the biggest boobs in the room, but who gets the best tips because she actually knows how to dance. So who do they get to play her? Bebe Neuwirth? Noooo. Demi Moore. All tits and no dancing talent.

Demi Moore was apparently determined to keep this movie from being seen as a comedy. The worst thing to say about this movie is that she succeeded completely.

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5/10

You Know Why You Are Watching This!

damianphelps6 March 2021

Demi Moore reinvented herself from a hot cutsie girl in the 80's to a powerful sexy woman in the 90's. She used that power to create some pretty dynamic roles at the time, G.I Jane being her best effort.

Striptease is not the greatest movie but it does have enough highlights to make it an ok watch. Rhames is enjoyable as is Reynolds.

Moore however owns the screen on this one. She had power at this time and she knew it and was happy to wield it. Good for her.

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2/10

There must be a more painless way to see Demi Moore disrobe...

moonspinner5525 June 2006

Shabby comedy-drama from Carl Hiaasen's novel has former-FBI clerk Demi Moore turning to stripping at the Eager Beaver in order to pay off her legal debts; seems she's in a fight to retrieve her child from her ex, yet the film doesn't see stripping as disreputable, thereby presenting Moore's Erin Grant as a hard-working heroine with a heart of gold for us to sympathize with. Director Andrew Bergman may have helmed this project blindfolded, how else to explain the sketchily-drawn characters, the ridiculous strip-club sequences or a dire subplot involving Congressman Burt Reynolds? Solid supporting turns by Armand Assante as a cop and Ving Rhames as a bouncer give the film its only validity. As for Moore, she isn't a bad actress, nor is she a stupid one, but the $12 million she acquired for her non-performance here seems like a joke on the audience--and on Hollywood. * from ****

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5/10

The Stripper Versus the Sleazy Politician

Uriah439 November 2018

This film begins with a woman named "Erin Grant" (Demi Moore) arguing for custody of her young daughter before a judge. Unfortunately, the judge rules against her because of her current occupation as a stripper even though she has explained to him that she was fired due to her husband's criminal misconduct. Not long afterward, while performing her routine at the stripclub, a brawl occurs involving a person who just happens to be a morally flawed United States Congressman named "David Dilbeck" (Burt Reynolds). Yet, even though he was wearing a disguise to hide his true identity, he is still recognized by a couple of people. And this creates a huge problem for them as Congressman Dilbeck has surrounded himself with people who are intent on keeping him in power and are willing to take whatever measures are necessary to keep his reputation intact. And their ruthlessness becomes even more pronounced as his lust for Erin increases-with those able to identify him becoming prime targets. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was an extremely uneven film due in large part to the ambivalent direction, meandering plot and horrific acting of Burt Reynolds. On the other side of the equation, I liked the performances of Ving Rhames (as the bouncer named "Shad") and the aforementioned Demi Moore who I thought was absolutely sensational. That being said, in spite of the rather obvious flaws, I still liked this movie to a certain degree and I have rated it accordingly. Average.

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1/10

There goes Demi Moore's career.

chadlund9 June 2016

Warning: Spoilers

Striptease is even worse than Showgirls. The stripping is awful, it is apparently heavily erotic - I didn't see anything erotic, the dancing is laughable, this has to be the most overrated erotic movie of all time. There is nothing, not a single relevant, serious, well choreographed erotic dance clip or sex scene. The story was turned into a very shallow script and the only thing that the directors cared about, was showing Demi Moore in a thong.

Looking back, this is where Demi's career ended. This movie was so bad it evicted Demi from the movie industry that disabled her any opportunity for a serious role. Demi Moore will be remembered forever in Striptease, the woman who showed a few bits of her butt in embarrassing fashion.

There's no substance, no intrigue, no real insight, no drama, if they wanted to do a sexually orientated movie, then they should have waived the rights to Hustler to make a porno movie.

Who ever played in this movie never recovered from it in the aftermath. Even for $15M, it's not worth it. Oh and the viewer also wastes 2hrs of his time.

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7/10

Why the hating? It was fun!

cosmiquemuffin21 January 2005

It may not have mirrored the book, but it has its own charm. I haven't read the book, so maybe that's why I can judge the movie on its own merits.

Ving Rhames is terrific-- honestly, has he ever had a clunker of a performance? Demi is luscious (the dance scenes, and the cute scene where she's getting dressed/dancing after a shower), and Burt Reynolds is hilarious. I really loved the congressman character meeting the right wing group slathered in vaseline. "Fresh, hot, lint!" indeed! Give it a whirl... it ain't Citizen Kane, but it ain't Battlefield Earth either.

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5/10

Guys It's Not Meant To Be Serious

Theo Robertson19 August 2005

Some people take both life and cinema far too seriously . Look at STRIPTEASE for example . The opening scene takes place in a court where Erin Grant is fighting for custody of her child against her husband Darell who has a serious problem with drugs . The judge decides that because Erin is unemployed pill popping Darell should get the kid ! Erin realises that the only way to get the kid back is if she gets a job as a stripper at The Eager Beaver nightclub and on her first night there she blows away the opposition . Got that a woman who has never stripped before is miles better than than the old pros who have been doing their dance routine for years . In fact she's so good Congressman Dilbeck feels duty bound to save her from a punter by hitting a drunken punter over the head with a champagne bottle . Hmm so you've got a senior politician who frequents The Eager Beaver nightclub which obviously doesn't harm his career prospects and assaults a fellow patron andnobody calls the press !

That's just the start of the movie ( And it gets more and more incredible as it goes along as if you hadn't noticed ) but people come on to this site to say what a terrible movie it is ! Thanks for pointing this out but it's not actually supposed to be a great movie is it ? It's done tongue in cheek with Burt Reynolds giving a career worst performance as Congressman Dilbeck . This alone would have made it watchable enough without Demi Moore flashing her silicon enhanced breasts around at every opportunity . If you think this is a serious movie then perhaps Ving Rhames role as Shad is a knowingly ironic character: " No it's a f--kin' shrimp . Course it's a roach " which is a clever way of explaining to the less clued up audience members that it's not a shrimp , a roach or a turkey - It's a tongue in cheek movie

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8/10

Good stuff

master_of_all28 January 2009

This is a very misunderstood film. It's not some sleaze erotic thriller but a comedy drama. It can be off putting when you go from joke to a serious part of the story, and there might be a little too much stripping but it's not that bad. The story has murder mystery and and full belly laughs and a few terrific one liners. If it was made by the Coens everyone would call it a masterpiece. You shouldn't watch this film expecting something serious, just go with it and see how much fun you have. Burt Reynolds gives the performance of his career, Ving Rhames as good as ever, and there's Robert Patrick playing a loser so with out morals he steals wheelchairs for a living. Films like this, that are neither one thing or the other, are always uneven. But the director/writer manages to pull it off. It could be better but it could have been a whole lot worse.

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7/10

This gets way more criticism than it should, is entertaining and is definitely worth a watch

kevin_robbins3 September 2022

Striptease (1996) is a movie that I recently watched for the first time in a long time on Tubi. The storyline follows a mother going through a divorce who loses visitation of her daughter due to a lack of steady income. She becomes a stripper to build the security she needs to get her daughter back and establish herself. The stripper life will throw her a series of twists and turns.

This movie is directed by Andrew Bergman (It Could Happen to You) and stars Demi Moore (Ghost), Burt Reynolds (Deliverance), Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2), Paul Guilfoyle (Airforce One) and Armand Assante (Gotti).

This has an absolutely awesome cast that was well selected and fit the storyline perfectly. The strippers were gorgeous. Burt Reynolds was hilarious, and the Vaseline scene is legendary. There's some good humor throughout the movie as Ving Rhames was fantastic and the anaconda scene always makes me crack up. The soundtrack was solid also. The storyline was fairly straightforward but did a great job of depicting strippers as ordinary people with ordinary problems.

Overall, this gets way more criticism than it should. This is entertaining and worth a watch. I would score this a 7/10 and recommend seeing it once.

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5/10

Florida politics on display

lastliberal28 June 2008

I am a big Carl Hiaasen fan and, while this may not be his best work, it certainly exposes the flaws in Florida politics for all the world to see. While certain environmentalists are celebrating Governor Charlie's transfer of $1.7 billion to Big Sugar, you can see in this film, even in a comical way, how they have out congressmen in the bag.

Demi has come up against DCF and has to do anything to get her children back. Unfortunately, she has come into the clutches of Congressman Burt and his evil henchmen. I really didn't think her performance was all that terrible, and I certainly appreciated the new work she had on display in a very skintastic moment, just as I appreciated seeing the lovely Pandora Peaks, Rina Riffel (Candyman 3), another skintastic performance by Dina Spybey, and that snakey performance of Barbara Alyn Woods. Let's hear it for all the fine performance that took our attention away from, well, I guess there wasn't much else.

Ving Rhames was good as usual, and I did enjoy Armand Assante. But, that aside, it was the performance on stage that really stand out.

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Has nothing to do with the novel

Boyo-210 March 2000

The novel "Striptease" was everything you could ask for in a novel. The movie is the complete opposite and a major disappointment for me. I thought Demi was a decent choice and also applauded the casting of Robert Patrick as her good-for-nothing ex, and Ving Rhames as a bodyguard at the club.

However the entire thing ended up being a mess, and I can only hope I can erase the image of Burt Reynolds in his boxers, smothered with petroleum jelly from head to toe, from my mind.

Read the book!!

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4/10

More Baloney Than Bare Facts

ccthemovieman-116 August 2006

This soft-core glossy skin flick (which is what it is, if you're honest about it) actually was better than I anticipated. the story was interesting all the way through, featured some great female bodies of course, but had decent acting and photography. The nudity involved breasts, nothing else and there was no sex. Demi Moore looked awesome at times; too tough-looking at other times.

Robert Patrick and Burt Reynolds played over-the-top characters who got a bit annoying after awhile. Reynolds is particularly sleazy and they use him in this film to denigrate elected officials and people who speak out for "family values." Hollywood loves to trash the latter, having no values of its own. They also trash Republicans and a group called "Young Christians," just more typical cheap shots of the Libeal film-making industry. They are unrelenting.

The only likable character in the movie is played by Armand Assante, although the film makes you root for Moore in her custody case.

I understand the book is much. Gosh, that's a surprise!

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1/10

At least Showgirls had personality, what was this?

Smells_Like_Cheese22 March 2009

Warning: Spoilers

I was cruising through my movie channels and I saw that Striptease was playing, I remember seeing the trailer for this movie back in 1994 when I was a kid and wanted to see it, oh, my parents had to forbid it. But of course since I'm 23 and on my own, I think I was allowed to view it. I kinda wish now that I had my parents here to tell me no because this movie was really bad. I mean most people make fun of Showgirls, I mean yeah, it's understandable, but at least that had personality and more memorable moments than this. Demi Moore just strips down to some really depressing music and this movie has the strangest humor in the world. I could see how some people might get a kick out of it, but over all it just a bad movie, it has no zest and nothing to make it special. A story about a stripper... OK, here it goes.

The film revolves around Erin Grant, a former FBI secretary, who loses custody of her young daughter Angela to her ex-husband Darrell. In order to afford an appeal, Erin becomes a stripper at the Eager Beaver, a Miami strip club. A Congressman named David Dilbeck visits the club and immediately begins to adore Grant. Aware of Dilbeck's embarrassing indulgences, another Eager Beaver patron approaches Erin with a plan to manipulate the Congressman to settle the custody dispute in Erin's favor. However, Dilbeck has powerful business connections who want to ensure he remains in office. Consequently, those who can embarrass him in an election are murdered. Meanwhile, Erin retrieves her daughter from her negligent husband. Dilbeck's personal interest in Erin persists, and she is invited to perform privately for him. He asks her to become his lover and later his wife, despite his staff's concerns that she knows too much information. A debate occurs as to whether to kill Erin or simply keep her quiet by threatening to take away her daughter.

Demi is alright in the movie, if even that, I'm being pretty generous considering she let her daughter, Rumor, act as her daughter in this movie. If I were Rumor, I'd be like "next time, I pick the mother/daughter bonding event". I wouldn't really feel like watching my mother dance around naked for men nore a camera. Well Rumor must have gotten a huge raise in her allowance for that to happen. But anyways, I wouldn't recommend Striptease, it was a sleazy movie, I would even go as far to say that if you want sleaze, go for Showgirls, it's more fun to watch and make fun of, this was just a sad movie.

1/10

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1/10

The worst film ever made

seriksson19 August 2005

I have considered this long and hard, but can honestly conclude that I have never seen a worst film than this. Most films in "worst films" lists are low budget films that were rushed B movies that turned into D movies. But Striptease has no excuses. The story is taken from a good book and made into the worst script I have ever heard. Of course, the acting, direction and script are all bad, but with Striptease they are so consistently awful throughout the film that it really defies belief.

And don't even mention Demi making her character such a mindnumbingly clichéd "doing it for the kids" mom! Starpower at its worst? Nothing can beat this.

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1/10

It's not as bad as they say...it's WORSE!!!

SKG-222 September 1999

Two amazing things about this movie; no, make that three:(1) That Carl Hiaasen actually liked the adaptation of his hilarious novel. Hiaasen is still one of the funniest writers around(if you read STRIPTEASE and liked it, I highly recommend all of the other novels he wrote by himself), but this proves his taste is questionable. This movie, unlike the novel, is painfully unfunny. There are occasional good lines from the novel(like when Ving Rhames(the only good actor here, along with Demi Moore's daughter Rumer Willis) telling two security guards that Meryl Streep used to strip under the name Chesty LeFrance), and even a couple of original ones(like Moore refusing to dance with cream corn because she doesn't want it to go up her "hoo-ha"), but the motivations, the characters, and the story are all hacked away; (2) that Andrew Bergman is responsible for this mess. After all, from his track record as writer(THE IN-LAWS, FLETCH, co-writer of SOAPDISH) and director(THE FRESHMAN, HONEYMOON IN VEGAS(both of which he also wrote), IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU), you'd think this was someone who knows funny. But he goes so wrong here it's unbelievable. Typical is the scene where Burt Reynolds character, who we know is a lech, delivers a sermon on "family values." Did Bergman think he was actually breaking new ground here? Contrast that to a similar scene in the book, where we hear(though don't see) his character deliver an off-the-cuff speech on Israel which works precisely because he's feeling horny. This is funny. What's in the movie isn't; (3) That Demi Moore keeps appearing in novel adaptations when she apparently doesn't understand what made the source work. This is the third novel adaptation(THE SCARLET LETTER, THE JUROR) in a row she appeared in, and they were all awful adaptations of fine books. Okay, I'm not a big fan of hers, but she's done good work(G.I. JANE, IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK), and this isn't it.

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5/10

Demi Moore Strip Dancing

marthawilcox183115 July 2014

The poster is attractive, and Demi Moore has definitely had dancing lessons in how to gyrate in strip dancing. It is not a real world, but her performance is believable. Even Ving Rhymes looks as though he can act in this film. Her estranged husband is despicable, but his performance is good. The detective also put in a good performance, but you weren't sure if he was one of those seedy characters that frequent a strip club. Burt Reynolds was just himself. I had no sympathy for Moore's character. She is prepared to dance for $2,000 and $5,000 respectively. Just how far would you go just to earn money? The film ends up being a comedy because it just cannot be taken seriously. Only the performances make this film commendable.

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7/10

a skillful blend of comedy/drama/politics/thriller/crime drama (and Burt Reynolds in a brilliant comic turn)

disdressed1229 December 2006

Warning: Spoilers

the movie Striptease is a combination crime drama/comedy/thriller.with a bit of political humour thrown in.it manages to balance all of these elements well,and as a result is very entertaining.Demi Moore gets top billing here and is very convincing as Erin Grant a woman who loses custody of her daughter to her small time thug husband( played with great relish by Robert Patrick).In order to obtain the money to appeal the verdict she resorts to being an exotic dancer at a strip club.There are a few well known names in this movie,but It is Burt Reynolds who steals the show.Reynolds Plays Congressman David Dilbeck,who happens to be in the audience(incognito,of course)and falls head over heals in love?with Erin. Congressman Dilbeck also happens to be a full time horn dog,so comedy ensues.But there is one scene in particular where Dilbeck is scheduled to appear before a youth Christian conference and is late.the reason he is late is absolutely hysterical.I won't give any more away,except to say watch this movie.You will enjoy it. 7* out of 10

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2/10

Bad...just not as bad as you'd imagine based on those Razzies.

planktonrules8 May 2016

"Striptease" is a multi-award winning picture. Unfortunately, these are Razzie Awards---awards given for god-awful films and performances. It received an amazing seven nominations and took home six awards--including Worst Movie and Worst Actress! This puts the film is a very unique league...as few films have been nominated or won like "Striptease". This alone is the reason I watched the film...I was curious how bad this bad movie could be.

The film is about Erin, a divorced mother whose husband is a trashy criminal...yet we are to believe the judge game HIM custody. Regardless, this ex- made sure she lost her job and now she has been 'forced' to become a stripper. With no experience, she instantly becomes a star attraction and the men in the club go positively insane when she dances. During one of these times, a crazy congressman (Burt Reynolds) gets out of control and soon all sorts of unforeseen situations result.

So is this really a bad film? But what's surprising is that it's basically an ultra-low budget trash film...or that's what it looks like. Yet, inexplicably, the movie had a HUGE budget--including $12,000,000 for its star, Demi Moore!! Why they chose her, I have no idea as her appearing semi-naked didn't help the film to become a success. Instead, they could have easily gotten a cut-rate stripper and saved a LOT of money. And I think this huge budget and big studio treatment for essentially a trash film is why it got so many Razzies. If it was just some cut-rate trash film, no one would have noticed it and the film would have quickly disappeared.

The film suffers because it's a bizarro script that seldom makes sense, has characters who simply are caricatures instead of believable members of the human race and because the film cannot decide what it wants to be. Is it a comedy? Is it a raunchy film? Is it a drama about a mother trying to regain custody of her kid? Is it a murder mystery? Is it a film about politics and the abuse of power? Is it an episode of "The Jerry Springer Show"? Any one of these might have worked...but together the film is just brain-achingingly weird and nonsensical--especially by the very end. Not bad enough to have earned 6 Razzies...but pretty bad.

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8/10

really, a very funny movie

RainColumbia2 August 2003

Hey, come on, guys - where's your sense of humor?? The movie is based on a book by Carl Hiassen, the master of comedy/thrillers set in southern Florida. Demi Moore, Burt Reynolds and especially Ving Rhames bring the characters to life, and then some! Doesn't seem realistic? Have you seen John Sayles' "Sunshine State"? This is how the "other half" lives, believe it or not... And even not, it's a very funny film. Demi deserves a lot of credit for taking on this quite challenging role. She's got a great body, and more power to her!! May the best woman win!! And she does!!!

In addition, Burt Reynolds once again proves that he has a marvelous sense of comedy timing, character creation, and isn't afraid to make a fool of himself. And Ving...., he's just marvelous. For a good time, rent "Striptease". And bring along your friends.

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6/10

Not Great But Better Than A 4.3

MadDoctor6115 April 2015

Different people watching this film see different movies. T and A people see naked and think great. The rest see this as crap. Except for Carl Hiaasen fans. I'm one of the latter and since I've read the book I can't help but see this as an attack on political corruption and environmental folly.

After losing her job as an office clerk for the FBI due to her ex-husbands recent criminal proclivities, Erin Grant (Demi Moore) resorts to stripping to support herself and her daughter as well as the high legal fees of a custody battle with said ex. When a corrupt congressman takes a lewd interest in Erin, she is drawn into a profitable but dangerous situation involving Florida sugar growers.

Become a Carl Hiaasen fan and see this movie for what it really is and delegate the stripper bar to just the setting, much as a spaceship is in a sci-fi movie. It's not a great movie, but when can see the content rather than the package, it is worth far more than a 4.3. Burt Reynolds character is worth much more than that. It deserves a 5 or so. I give it a 6 just for Hiaasen.

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1/10

An unwatchable mess

callanvass11 November 2013

Warning: Spoilers

This is the film that got Demi Moore into a bit of a downward spiral. She's still relevant, but her acting career was never quite the same. The problem with this film is that it doesn't fully know what it wants to be. It tries to have the best of both worlds with action & comedy, but it doesn't work with this movie. The action is not exciting, and the laughs come across as unfunny and desperate. The only time I was remotely interested in this movie is when Demi Moore does her strip scenes. She's got such an amazing body that I became jealous of one of my favorite actors (Bruce Willis) because he used to be married to that gorgeous woman. It tries to throw in cheap sentiment with a custody battle, involving Demi's daughter in this movie (played by her real life daughter, Rumer Willis) to no avail. A lot of the time I end up liking films that are verbally thrashed much more than others do, but this deserves all of the bad reviews it gets. Demi Moore tries her hardest, but her beauty isn't enough to make this movie interesting. I really did try to come up with reasons to care about her, but I couldn't do so. It's not her fault that she's in such a horrible movie. Burt Reynolds embarrasses himself in this movie. He wears an awful blonde wig, and has a poor accent too boot. Ostensibly, he wanted this part very badly, according to IMDb trivia. I get that his star power was nowhere near what it once was, but come on, Burt! Armand Assante smokes a lot of cigars, and doesn't make much of an impression. Rhames, Patrick, and others do what they have to do adequately, but they can't do much with the script. The ending might involve the most cocaine I've ever seen on film

Final Thoughts: Save yourself the trouble, and avoid it. It's bad enough to begin with, and it's almost two hours. You really wanna go through with that? Didn't think so

1/10

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