54 (1998)

13% of critics liked it
(63 reviews)
44% of users liked it
(30,393 ratings)

Mark Christopher wrote and directed this look back at the Disco Era when the popular Studio 54 was at its apogee in the late '70s. With obvious comparisons to Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997) and Whit Stillman's The Last Days of Disco (1998), the story introduces working-class 19-year-old… More Mark Christopher wrote and directed this look back at the Disco Era when the popular Studio 54 was at its apogee in the late '70s. With obvious comparisons to Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997) and Whit Stillman's The Last Days of Disco (1998), the story introduces working-class 19-year-old Irish-American Shane O'Shea (Ryan Phillippe), who has lived with his father and siblings since the death of his mother when he was 12. Shane quickly rises from busboy to bartender at Studio 54, co-owned and managed in a paternal manner by entrepreneur Steve Rubell (Mike Myers). Busboy Greg Randazzo (Breckin Meyer) and Greg's wife, Anita (Salma Hayek), the club's coat check girl, become Shane's new friends, and he encounters the possibility of romance with soap star Julie Black (Neve Campbell). The story spans the summer of 1979 until the decline of Studio 54 a year later with IRS investigations, followed by the arrest and jailing of Rubell. Costumes by Ellen Lutter capture the glitter and glam-glitz of the period. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 32 min.
Directed By: Mark Christopher
Written By: Mark Christopher
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Aug 28, 1998 Wide
On DVD: Apr 3, 2001
Studio: Miramax Films

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, Variety
A more critical and resonant Hollywood movie about the glorious disco culture screams to be made.
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
The triteness comes thick and fast.
Charles Taylor, Salon.com
It's a flat, clumsy piece of filmmaking.
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
Decadence has rarely looked so pathetic, lethargic and dispiriting as it does in this listless film.
Jeff Millar, Houston Chronicle
The party never gets started.
Tom Long, Detroit News
Except for Myers, and for many he will make the movie worth watching. He's absolutely shagadelic and completely unexpected. This should have been his movie.
Sarah Boslaugh, Playback:stl
...comes off like a high-budget cautionary tale, concerned that if it shows anything attractive about Studio 54, some young and innocent viewer might be corrupted...
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A shapeless homage to the glory that was Studio 54 in its decadent heyday...
, Film4
Neither a great night out nor a great night in.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Let me pause for a minute to think of a more boring subject for a movie ... Sorry. I give up.
Stefan Birgir Stefansson, sbs.is
Myers shining moment. Too bad nobody saw it.
Charlotte O'Sullivan, Time Out
Myers exploits every vicious, self-hating line that comes his way.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Just as disappointing as Whit Stillman's Last Days of Disco, Marc Christopher's 54 suffers from a formulaic script that feels like a reworking of Saturday Night Fever and Boogie Nights, both superior and more entertaining pictures.
, Film Threat
The writer seems helpless in finding a way to wrap up the story beyond the arrest of Rubell.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
A mish-mash of bad writing, poor acting (except Myers), amateur directing and mediocre production credits.
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
... a wasted opportunity
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
The 1970s were great times, but most viewers could hardly come to that conclusion based on this film.
Judith Egerton, Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
One can only hope "54" will hammer the final nail in disco's coffin. It's music that I don't want stayin' alive.
Dan Jardine, Apollo Guide
54 is mediocre on almost all counts: acting (with a couple of exceptions), writing, direction and cinematography are uniformly bland, inoffensive and completely unmemorable.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
a nostalgic whitewash. With its sterling beat-heavy soundtrack and non-stop glitz, the movie captures the look and sound of its inspiration much more convincingly than it conjures up the Studio 54 atmosphere.

Read all 23 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

moon r

The decadence and debauchery of disco's palace comes off as only dull. Myers is good and Hayek --- she's always easy on the eyes.
Tsubaki S

Light soap opera story, Summer of Sam captured better the mood of the time. Mike Myers is surprisingly not that bad in this role, probably the only passable performance the man has ever done. Also, somebody has any idea of why Hayek has a career in hollywood? She can't act and… More
Light soap opera story, Summer of Sam captured better the mood of the time. Mike Myers is surprisingly not that bad in this role, probably the only passable performance the man has ever done. Also, somebody has any idea of why Hayek has a career in hollywood? She can't act and just because she has big fake boobs.....oh wait, nevermind.
Nicki M

Average - not as bad as some reviews made out, but nothing amazing either. Salma Hayek and the fun 70's soundtrack are the best thing about this movie. I never find Ryan Phillippe especially convincing as an actor either and this one is no exception.
Lewis C

Not bad, not bad at all. It's hard not to enjoy a film that's constantly beaming cool seventies music into your brain. Disjointed in places, but not badly enough to ruin the film.
Mason W

This movie has one of my favorite soundtracks. If you want some feel good music then this is it one after anoher hot song thrown from the age of disco. 54, is a good film centering around a group of young hopefuls that (Ryan Phillippe, Selma Hayek) aspire to be rich and famous and… More
This movie has one of my favorite soundtracks. If you want some feel good music then this is it one after anoher hot song thrown from the age of disco. 54, is a good film centering around a group of young hopefuls that (Ryan Phillippe, Selma Hayek) aspire to be rich and famous and be part of the elite in the famous 54 night club in NYC.
Lafe F

Great soundtrack! The Stars on 54 version of "Can You Read My Mind" is awesome. Great music. I wish I could go back to Studio 54; actually I was there in 2000 to see a production of "Cabaret". It was a great soap-opera of a movie with great music. I find myself… More
Great soundtrack! The Stars on 54 version of "Can You Read My Mind" is awesome. Great music. I wish I could go back to Studio 54; actually I was there in 2000 to see a production of "Cabaret". It was a great soap-opera of a movie with great music. I find myself wanting to re-watch this movie every year.
Jason S

Mike Myers was really good in this one. I think he should do more serious roles. The story was pretty basic though.
danny d

really good but over the top, mike myers will creep you out in this one
Michael G

I don't know why, but every time its on I always watch it to the end.
Christopher H

Mike Myers was the best part of "54". His performance is so unlike any previous roles. The style, the music, and the acting are straight out of the 70's. If you want to see Ryan Phillippe without a shirt for an hour and a half, then here is your chance.
Marcus W

I was intrigued as to whether Myers had any acting talent. Turns out he has a smidgeon. The rest of this plotless silliness revolves around Phillippe being topless and falling in and out of love. Perhaps there's some irony here in that the film looks amazing, but there's… More
I was intrigued as to whether Myers had any acting talent. Turns out he has a smidgeon. The rest of this plotless silliness revolves around Phillippe being topless and falling in and out of love. Perhaps there's some irony here in that the film looks amazing, but there's nothing going on beneath the surface.
RJ M

The movie that wanted to be Saturday Night Fever. The movie does capture the decadence that was Studio 54, a place where anything went. It was THE hotspot of the 70's club scene, where everyday nobodys rubbed elbows with the Hollywood elite. Sex, drugs, all night disco music, and… More
The movie that wanted to be Saturday Night Fever. The movie does capture the decadence that was Studio 54, a place where anything went. It was THE hotspot of the 70's club scene, where everyday nobodys rubbed elbows with the Hollywood elite. Sex, drugs, all night disco music, and who knows what all were the norm, and you were nobody if you couldn't get in. Director Mark Christopher captures all of the this frenzy admirably, and the scenes in the club really do work. It's in places outside the club that the movie falls apart. We get cookie cutter family drama with Ryan Phillipe, marital discord with Brekin Meyer and Salma Hayek, and typical soul searching with people who don't know what to do when they've allowed themselves to be taken over by life's excesses. Mike Myers plays infamous Studio 54 Steve Rubell admirably. He's a squirly, sexually efeminate, want to be the center of attention worm, who would never get into the club if he didn't own it. The performances all around are fine, but there's so substance to any of the characters, or their stories. Kind of like the infamous club itself...all style, no substance.
Lee K

I was anxiously awaiting the release of this film do mainly because it was mike myers first dramatic turn as an actor. He didnt let me down in this true story as he portrayed the creepy coke snorting manager/owner of studio 54.