Review: Starz's 'Magic City' looks pretty but sounds clichéd
Late '50s period drama has impressive production design, shaky characters and stories
Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Olga Kurylenko in "Magic City."
Credit: Starz
As a technical achievement, Starz's "Magic City" is terribly impressive. Set in and around a Miami resort hotel in 1959, the drama has the same eye for period detail of "Mad Men," but on a far bigger scale. The sets are huge and lavish, the scenes bustling with extras all decked out in their '50s finest. And the visual splendor extends beyond the sets and costumes. There's a scene in the series' premiere episode(*) where hotel owner Ike Evans visits the home of his gangster business partner Ben Diamond that practically looks like it was filmed in Technicolor. In a later episode, Ike retreats from the debauchery on Ben's party boat in a shot that looks like he's just caught the last boat out of Hell.
(*) The "official" premiere is Friday night at 10, but Starz already aired the first episode last week after the Spartacus finale, and the first three episodes are already available online.
So, yes, "Magic City" is gorgeous to look at. Creator Mitch Glazer grew up in Miami Beach during this period, where his father was an electrical engineer for a hotel like Ike's Miramar Playa, and he's recreated the era beautifully.
As a narrative achievement, though, "Magic City" is a mess, filled with paper-thin characters and clichéd dialogue and storylines. If not for the appealing lead performance by Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Ike, large stretches of the series would be unwatchable, even with all the lovely visuals.
If anything, the focus on making things look good seems to suck much of the energy from the series, which at times seems more diorama than drama. "Mad Men" also fetishizes the past, but never at the expense of story or character, where there are plenty of scenes in "Magic City" that seem designed only to make the viewer gawk at how spiffy things looked in the good old days.
Morgan seems to alternate between cold action roles (the Comedian in "Watchmen") and others where he's asked to be a big, friendly, eager sheepdog (Denny Duquette on "Grey's Anatomy"). This is more him in the latter mode. Ike loves this hotel, and the life he's built for himself and his family. He struts through the joint with a massive grin he can never quite wipe off, and tells a new bellboy that they keep the lobby so cold "so the ladies can wear their furs. That's our job, Ray-Ray. We sell the dream!" You watch him decked out in the period clothes, a stogie usually not far from his lips, and it's not hard to imagine some alternate timeline where Morgan was cast as Don Draper, and pulled off the role as well as Jon Hamm.
Morgan's charming, and well-matched by Olga Kurylenko (the Bond girl from "Quantum of Solace") as Ike's second wife Vera, a former showgirl who converted to Judaism to please her husband and his kids and became more invested in the culture than they are, to the point where Ike jokes that "I went to bed with Rita Hayworth and woke up with Golda Meir." (Last "Mad Men" comparison, I promise: think of Vera as Betty Draper if she was actually happy to give up her glamorous life to have a family.)
Making most of the main characters Jewish — and a wide swath of Jewish culture circa 1959, including Ike's secular, Communist father Arthur (played by Moe Greene himself, Alex Rocco) — is one of the better choices Glazer made. All the material about assimilation, the immigrant experience, etc., feels specific in a way that the rest of "Magic City" does not as it trots out various tropes borrowed from "The Godfather" series and other stories about the intersection of crime and entertainment.
So we open with Ike dreaming about people who sleep with the fishes, and soon the Miramar Playa is embroiled in a big but incredibly familiar mess involving union leaders, an investigation by a prosecutor who wants to clear these heathen hedonists off the beach, Castro's revolution a little to the south. When Ike goes to Ben Diamond (Danny Huston) for help dealing with the union, Ben asks, "You ever hear the story about the frog and the scorpion?" Ike hasn't, which I'll forgive, since in 1959 that particular parable hadn't been used to death by the movie industry to explain the danger of teaming up with criminals and other bad people. But like so many other aspects of "Magic City," Ben's monologue about his true nature is a tired old saw being presented as if it was something bold and clever.
It doesn't help that Huston is busy gnawing on the scenery in that and every other scene he's in, to the point where much of Ben's intended menace plays as comical. Still, he's better than a number of the supporting players, particularly Steven Strait as Ike's older son Stevie, a sleepy-eyed bad boy whose main function within the series seems to be facilitating the large number of nude and/or sex scenes that Starz seems to require of all its dramas. As unintentionally comical in their gratuity as some of the nude scenes on "Boss" seemed, they've got nothing on "Magic City," which has a naked woman as the centerpiece of its opening credits sequence and puts Stevie into scenes that have no apparent plot, character or thematic purpose but do feature lots of topless women. And Strait is such a complete blank in the role that the amount of time devoted to Stevie — and, particularly, to lingering, apparently meaningful close-ups of Stevie lost in thought — becomes a huge problem.
I've seen three episodes of "Magic City." I spent the first hour being impressed by the production values and mostly bored by anything the characters were doing or saying, and spent the second struggling to make it through to the end because the plot felt so creaky and the characters kept speaking in clichés. The third episode, which spends a lot of time on Kelly Lynch as the sister of Ike's late first wife, and also gives Kurylenko a lot more to do, perks up a bit, but the batting average on the whole is very weak to start out.
Like Ike Evans with his chilly lobby, Mitch Glazer is clearly someone who wants to sell a dream, in this case one of yesteryear. And there's ample material in this period, particularly when you factor in the locale. Maybe the improvement in the third episode will continue, but what I've seen so far of "Magic City" seems less dreamlike than sleepy.
Alan Sepinwall may be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com
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NOTE: Though there are three episodes out there in the world, we're going to try to keep our discussion to the one episode that already aired on TV in that sneak preview last Friday. If you've seen all three and want to offer opinion on them in total, that's fine, but please don't go into any plot detail from the next two.
Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupHatfield
April 5, 2012 at 9:27AM EST Reply to CommentThere's obviously no accounting for taste, but I find it interesting when you and another critic I respect (in this case Goodman) are so far apart on a show. Especially when your criticisms are the sort that you and I usually see eye to eye on. I know there's no real answer to it, just makes me think.
Anyway, I will be watching at least the first couple, if only for Morgan. Maybe it'll be my new "Yeah, sure" show.
Greg Watts Reply to comment...
April 5, 2012 at 9:37AM ESTGreg Watts Excuse my first comment. Can I ask who 'Goodman' is. I'm always interested in finding new critics. Alan is a firm favourite, but would love to find another high calibre writer
April 5, 2012 at 9:38AM ESTBalaji K I'm guessing Tim Goodman of THR. His review of the show was more positive.
April 5, 2012 at 9:40AM ESTGreg Watts Cheers Balaji. Is he a worthy read?
April 5, 2012 at 9:48AM ESTHatfield Yeah, Tim Goodman, and yes, I really like him too.
April 5, 2012 at 9:49AM ESTCK Haha, I am also a joint Sepinwall and Goodman addict. In fact, since Goodman's piece came out a while ago and he was so glowing about it, I watched the first 3 episodes of Magic City online and didn't dislike it as much as Alan, it seems. The series isn't perfect, but given time it could really hit its stride. I think that's what Goodman mostly alluded to in his review and I'm inclined to agree with him.
April 5, 2012 at 11:41PM ESTBalaji K
April 5, 2012 at 9:38AM EST Reply to CommentI liked the series premiere. It was kind of slow but was engaging nevertheless. It was stylish and the cast look attractive.
Hautie It was slow. But it is beautiful to look at though. I am going to stick with it, to see if the writing gets better.
April 5, 2012 at 1:13PM ESTbrad_zicherman
April 5, 2012 at 10:02AM EST Reply to CommentLoved the show. Found the plot engaging and the production values were truly amazing..
David D.
April 5, 2012 at 10:05AM EST Reply to CommentI'm being vague to avoid spoilers. This show is not for me already. We're not supposed to think of Ike as a Tony Soprano-like kingpin -- we're supposed to empathize with his struggle. So the "hero" authorizes something terrible and can proudly proclaim "We did it" upon his success. So much for empathy. I agree with the look of the show, and I really dig the Henry Mancini homage in the main theme, but I don't like anybody (especially the "bad" son). (And when is something awful going to happen to the chambermaid to transform the "good" son?)
Teklanika
April 5, 2012 at 10:19AM EST Reply to CommentYou make mostly valid points, though I've only seen the 1st ep. I actually liked Stevie in ep 1 and thought it was an interesting start to his character.
You said it perks up a bit by ep 3 so that's encouraging. Sometimes it takes a few ep's for a show to find it's footing.
Heck, even my current favorite show, Justified, took about halfway through the first season to realize it worked much better as a serial than a procedural and has been awesome ever since.
I'm interested and will keep watching.
Col Bat Guano
April 5, 2012 at 10:55AM EST Reply to CommentSo how long can they keep up those production values because once those slip, this show is going to look pretty thin.
bmfc1
April 5, 2012 at 3:03PM EST Reply to CommentI was amazed at how "no name" the cast was. I recognized: "Moe Greene"; "Alby Grant"; and one of the thugs from Seinfeld that chased Kramer.
bmfc1 I don't think that prosecutor is a "devout Christian" as his name is Jack Klein, he asks for corned beef, and uses Yiddish.
April 5, 2012 at 3:06PM ESTB
April 5, 2012 at 6:07PM EST Reply to CommentI don't have Starz, so I'll have to wait for the DVD. But I have been thoroughly entertained by the candid interviews Olga has been giving complaining about how annoyed she is with working in television.
CK Well the first three episodes are available for free on the Starz website (specifically: http://www.starz.com/originals/MagicCity/Videos#/episode-1) and if you're still interested after that, the internet may have ways to help you... to be as vague as possible.
April 5, 2012 at 11:44PM ESTWylie76
April 5, 2012 at 6:44PM EST Reply to CommentI pretty much agree with everything Alan says. It's goregous to look at and has an atmosphere that so seductive and that makes me want to like this far more than I actually do. But there is nothing in the story that really grabs me and none of the actors sans Morgan and Huston really stand out. I'll probably give it another episode to see if anything changes even if Alan makes it sound doubtful.
Really a shame because I would have loved to follow a show in this setting.
CK
April 5, 2012 at 11:47PM EST Reply to CommentAlan, all of your points are completely valid, but I still enjoyed the first three episodes I saw online. The show isn't bursting out of the gates with original material, but it IS gorgeous to look at and it seems to be finding its footing in the early going. Call me inexperienced, but I don't think I've ever heard the scorpion and frog tale before, at least that I remember. I also was not as bothered by the Stevie character, though I'm not gonna call him a good actor any time soon. Jeffrey Dean Morgan seriously impressed me in the title role and I've enjoyed Danny Huston's menacing air so far. All of the other characters have been fine so far IMO. I get the sense that the show could be headed somewhere interesting and they're just setting everything up for now, so I'll stick with it for the foreseeable future.
Yellowdog
April 6, 2012 at 2:19AM EST Reply to CommentI only watched the first episode so far but I really liked it. It looked gorgeous and it felt like I was watching a quality 70s movie about the 50's, if that makes any sense. And Morgan is as perfect for this part as Jon Hamm was in Mad Men. He just oozes coolness and sex appeal as Ike.
I think when it's all said and done, this is going to be one of those excellent shows where everybody looks back on wonder how so many critics got it so wrong.
April 6, 2012 at 11:45PM EST Reply to CommentDid anyone else catch the name "Bunuel" in the bookie scene on the chalkboard?
Mike
April 8, 2012 at 1:26AM EST Reply to CommentI liked the show but I like anything from the period I grew up in. Miami was at it's peak in the late fifties and early sixties. I vacationed in Miami with my parents in 1966. I remember going by the Foutainbleu and it was impressive. I wished we stayed there but we were at the Deauville. I remember walking along Collins Ave at night. It was only a few years before Miami was to start it's slow descent into decline. Miami was the King in 1958. You had casino gambling 90 miles away in Cuba before Castro took over. Las Vegas was still small time. The show has a great look to it. It pays attention to detail. Shecky Green opening for Fran Sinatra. Jilly Rizzo going with Ike the exact detail of how things should be. The girls, the bookmaking, the high stakes backroom poker games. It's not Mad Men but what is. Mad Men might be the most perfect show in the last decade. I will take Magic City for what it is. It's still better than most sanitized network television.
Junellen Schleifer
April 20, 2012 at 12:23AM EST Reply to CommentI've watched the 1st 2 episodes of Magic City & came away with mixed feelings. Yes, the hotels and scenery are beautiful & so are most of the players. I especially love the cars. So why was I left with such an empty feeling? Finally it hit me; there are no JEWS in this story that is all about the Jews in the hotel & crime business of this era! There is nothing authentic about non-Jews trying to pass. About the only people I might give a pass to are certain Italian types ( ie John Tuturro comes to mind & Alex Rocco isn't bad ) but as gorgeous & menacing as Danny Huston & Jeffrey Dean Morgan are, they just don't cut it as Jewish anything! I don't get it, Mitch Glazer is Jewish, he was raised in Miami Beach, does he not know the difference between an authentic Jewish actor & an entire cast trying unsuccessfully to pass? I googled an expansive list of fine Jewish actors of the right age & look which I'd be happy to share with Mr Glazer which he might look into after this series goes under which I fear it will. What was he thinking? All that glamor & glitz & attempts at authenticity to choose the list authentic cast imaginable. I'd love any responses. You can email me at; junellen@team-mail.net
Bill Graves
April 24, 2012 at 4:53PM EST Reply to CommentFinally: a believeable, historically accurate show, written for adults, set in magnificent fifties Miami Beach! I grew up on a street off Biscayne Blvd, was in my early twenties in 1959, so I can tell you the series very well represents Miami during that period. It was the most sought-after destination for beautiful people all over the world. The hotels were fabulous beyond description, and the hoteliers demanded the highest order of quality and fine service in every lavish aspect, nothing less was acceptable. The world’s greatest entertainers performed to packed hotel ballrooms and clubs nightly. This series is exceptionally reminiscent of better times, and serves to transport those of us who revere and respect the past to a better place!
Bill Graves
April 24, 2012 at 4:56PM EST Reply to CommentFinally: a believeable, historically accurate show, written for adults, set in magnificent fifties Miami Beach! I grew up on a street off Biscayne Blvd, was in my early twenties in 1959, so I can tell you the series very well represents Miami during that period. It was the most sought-after destination for beautiful people all over the world. The hotels were fabulous beyond description, and the hoteliers demanded the highest order of quality and fine service in every lavish aspect, nothing less was acceptable. The world’s greatest entertainers performed to packed hotel ballrooms and clubs nightly. This series is exceptionally reminiscent of better times, and serves to transport those of us who revere and respect the past to a better place!