Cliché: go through the motions

Meaning: half-hearted or faked effort (example 1, example 2)


Rewrite 1: go through the commotions
Rewrite 2: pull a slight-of-motivation
Rewrite 3: deliver a hand puppet effort
Rewrite 4: pull a dead rabbit out of his hat
Rewrite 5: give it less than he's got


Comment: The idea here is to suggest how little life or earnestness there is in the effort. I thought adding a suggestion of sleight-of-hand or faked magic might be interesting, too.


How would you rewrite it? Give me a shout on Twitter: @a_copywriter
...
Speaking of magic
(commission may be paid on purchase)