MovieChat Forums > Magic Mike (2012) Discussion > In defense of Cody Horn

In defense of Cody Horn

posted 12 years ago by Merrida
10 replies | jump to latest

I watched the movie twice, and the first time all I picked up was the blatant and obvious lack of chemistry between her Tatum, and how she always looked miserable.

I've never seen her in anything, so can only go based on this. Perhaps her character is so miserable across the board because she's being treated poorly right out of the gate, she's taken advantage of, she tries to help and offer help but is just met with disapproval/disdain in many ways.

Her boyfriend is a total ass who is very controlling and in fact, has less personality and duller than Horn could ever be. He's just a douche in all senses of the word.

Her brother is living off of her and not contributing, he's not going to job interviews, he's losing jobs, he's not even willing to TRY. Once can imagine how long she's put up with providing free digs for her mooch of a brother.

When her brother finally does get a job, (put aside in her opinion she may consider this behavior lude, in part because of HIS behavior on and off the stage, unlike Mike who has more to his life)...and he gets strung out on drugs. The months that pass across the screen may only be a part of it, but that's a long time for Horn to be treated like a doormat. I would be surprised if she was running around feeling perky and joyful and exhuberance.
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Sic vis pacem para bellum.

[–] Merrida 12 years ago

PS: If you'll notice how uptight Horn is when Olivia touches her tattoos, she curls back, uncomfortable. Not about respecting space, but a gentle touch on a tat that's exposed and she flinches and is grossed out and looks for a way to exclude herself.

This adds to the fact her character, while frustrated with a lousy boyfriend and lazy live in brother who doesn't earn his keep, she finds out her brother's "only friend" is a stripper, with stripper friends, a career she finds, obviously quite appalling. She's being exposed abruptly and harshly to people and situations that disgust her and she sees her brother waste his football scholarship, and turn into mush on her couch.

She may be more mother than sister, but she's disappointed. Granted it's her problem, but in all truthfullness, to deal with it means either change and accept it, it remove herself from the situation, which she did.
______________________________________
Sic vis pacem para bellum.

[–] rooprect 10 years ago

Merrida, great posts. To me "Brooke" is the most complex character in the entire film, and it's a shame that Cody Horn doesn't get more praise for pulling it off.

I once knew someone who acted EXACTLY like Brooke, and now that I think about it, their situations are almost identical. My friend (we'll call her "Debbie") constantly had a sour expression on her face even though she had a good sense of humor, a quick-witted sarcasm just like Brooke. She never socialized much, and when subjected to close social settings she would often react the way Brooke did with the tattoos, cringe and quietly slip away somewhere by herself. She seemed very judgmental and opinionated although she would rarely say anything unless you pushed her. She was physically attractive, but due to her stand-offish personality, she never attracted men.

Debbie's situation (much like Brooke's) was that of the responsible caretaker of the family. She was an only child, and when her father developed Alzheimers, the burden fell on her because her mother was too weak. Being forced in that role robbed her of her own "wild & crazy youth", so she ended up even at a young age being bitter, uptight and repressed. She would also be attracted to "douchebag" men, I suppose because they offered to take control/responsibility away from her which is what she craved.

Whoever wrote the character of Brooke, as well as Cody Horn for playing it to a T, must be really familiar with the psychology of such a person. I honestly didn't realize half these things about my friend Debbie until I saw this movie.

One scene I thought was brilliant was when Brooke loses it in Mike's apartment (when she finds her brother passed out). That's when we see all the repressed, childish fury come spilling out, as she insults Mike without provocation ("You're just a 30 year old stripper!") and finally collapses on the floor in tears. You realize that Brooke is a very deep, emotional person but she hides it too well. One of the best characters I've seen in recent memory.

[–] gregorik 12 years ago

Her character was supposed to be the dull voice of reason among a gang of grossly immature grownup men, including Dallas. She ultimately "saved" Mike, and together they'll probably save her kid brother as well. I know she's quite unpopular due to obvious nepotism, but I think she did a good job here.

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"Don't just DO something, STAND there!"
Pastor Charlie Bing

[–] sm-meehan 11 years ago

I totally agree

[–] Redart27 11 years ago

I thought she was ok too. She played a medical files clerk with a deadbeat brother sleeping on her couch. She is the normal, 9-5 person that makes Mike yearn for the simpler things. This movie is just a guys version of Flashdance. What were people expecting here? Brando on the Waterfront?

[–] cinecephale 11 years ago

She has every right not to agree with their lifestyle, why should everybody like them? I thought it was interesting to see a character who is very straight and assuming it. She wants a normal, quiet life. What is bad with it?

And I find it very ironic so many people hate that character, yet hate the film for moral and sexual reasons!

[–] conangirl 11 years ago

doesn't matter about the script. She did basically what she was "supposed" to do. It was almost like watching someone sleep walking.

It's the lack of depth that she brings to the character. period.

If you watched Don Jon, there was a female co-lead who never said one word during the whole movie until the end. But she made her character believable - and pretty damn funny. Which is what the director set out to do.

Watching Don Jon, i noticed many folks in the audience liked her, though her character was "disapproving" of the family lifestyle, etc.

In Magic Mike think they handled Cody Horn with kid gloves and gave her a pass, thanks to her being "daddy's little rich girl". I'm sure they didn't want her coming home and telling daddy that the director and the crew were "as** holes" and that they should be fired.

There's nothing like a vindictive, powerful, executive in Hollywood.

thus, they basically let her have at it, and hoped every one else - the PROFESSIONAL and more EXPERIENCED ACTORS could "float" the rest.

There is no defense for poor acting, lack of depth, and being a "privileged" actress who is basically "handed a script on a silver platter" - versus the ones that are hard working, came up through the ranks, and learned through experience.

some days, it's not worth chewing through the restraints..

[–] ellie246 11 years ago

I didn't mind her, bit shouty but I think she had a nice chemistry with Mike IMO.

Their banter was enjoyable, but the character wasn't really given much to do but be disapproving, and Cody's face is naturally grumpy looking. I do wish they'd made her a little warmer though but I don't get the extreme hate ???

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] carjones51 10 years ago

You're right . . . . she pretty much came off as a miserable person with zero personality, which begs the question: why in the world is Mike drawn to her? Why is he attracted to this sourpuss, horrible woman?

Granted, the character wasn't given good dialouge, but CH's horrific acting didn't help matters. Maybe a better actress could have brought more depth to the character or made her less unlikeable.

I hated CH's character. She had zero chemistry w/Mike and was a generally unlikeable person.