54

REVIEW
There's another reason to hate the disco era: writer-director Christopher's 54, a clichéd morality tale of dance, drugs and redemption. In yet another boy-comes-to-the-big-city plot line, Phillippe stars as Shane, a naïve, good-looking 19-year-old from Jersey City whose dream of getting into Studio 54, the shining star of New York dance clubs, becomes a reality when he becomes employed there. Quicker than you can snort a hit of coke, he's doing drugs and having anonymous sex. As a story of corrupted youth, 54 has little to offer; its limited appeal lies in the peripheral characters who populate the club. Best of these is Myers, who gives an engaging performance as Steve Rubell, 54's owner. He should have been the main focus of the film. The music is good, the drug angle moralizing, the feel authentic, and too many spot-the-star cameos. 54 gets about a 66: it has a good beat but it's hard to dance to.