Martial Universe 2: Nine Talisman Tower

Former male stripper Mike Lane, who lost his furniture business during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now in his forties, still in Miami and a bartender for a catering company. At Maxandra "Max" Mendoza's fund-raising event, Mike is recognized by Kim, a lawyer for Max's foundation. Afterward, Mike is asked to speak with Max privately. Alone, Max says Kim told her about his prowess and asks how much for a lap dance. Mike says he is retired, but ultimately says $60,000 when pushed. Max says $6,000 with no 'happy ending', but during the dance she and Mike give in to passion and sleep together. The next morning, Mike refuses the $6,000, but Max offers him the $60,000 to go to London and the United Kingdom for a month. Mike agrees but only as her boyfriend. She accepts and they travel to London together. Max's ex-husband Roger gave her the Rattigan Theatre in their divorce settlement, and she announces the theatrical production presently in place of the play Isabel Ascende will be halted for one month so Mike Lane can choreograph a special dance production. As Mike and Max discuss the logistics of this show she has come up with, her teenage daughter Zadie arrives. Distrustful of him, she explains that her mother tries to reinvent herself every few years. Auditions for potential dancers are soon underway. An actress from the original show Isabel Ascende shows up, wanting to participate. This inspires them to rethink the new show with elements of the original, so they cast her. Going to dinner with a few of Max's London contacts, Mike feels out of his element. Later on, in the car, when Max moves toward physical intimacy with him and he pulls back, it upsets her. The next day in rehearsal, she is excessively critical of his choreography. Max and Mike build a temporary extension of the stage, so the show has a much more palpable feel, the City of Westminster threatens sanctions due to alterations to the historical building without prior approval. They persuade the only woman on the board, Edna Eaglebauer, to support the show. As she lives a quiet life alone, they fill her morning bus with the men from the show. Edna gets her own sample, as the 10 men do a flirty, choreographed number just for her benefit. She gives them her seal of approval. Mike and Max argue about the ending of the show. She wants him to personalize it and it finishes with a happy finish. She also would really like him to dance in it, but he reiterates he is retired and will not go on stage. The show gets shut down again, so Max confronts Roger. He reminds her that their separation agreement includes a clause that she does not tarnish his family name. After Max tells Mike to return to the United States, he gets the keys to the theater through Victor and rehearsals resume secretly. The show is not open to the public, but rather by invitation only, as Zadie taps into her mother's contacts. Sunday evening arrives, and Victor and Zadie drag Max out for the show she believed she had shut down, even Roger is invited. The opening act starts the same as Isabel Ascende, but the protagonist is offered only two possible life choices, marry the rich aristocrat or the poor one with a heart of gold. So, she calls her imaginary friend from her childhood, the unicorn, breaks the fourth wall and then talks about modern feminist ideas about what choices women should be afforded, using a golden mic that drops from above. Then Isabel's male counterparts strip off their formal attire and the other dancers are presented one by one. They have sexier and sexier numbers until the last few, Victor is asked to remove Zadie for the most "adult". After a lap dance number for three of the more mature audience members, Mike's number with a professional dancer is reminiscent of moments shared between him and Max. Once the show is over, Mike finds Max, they kiss, and he says he loves her.