Fading Gigolo

Imitation is the highest form of flattery. There is barely a difference between this film and a Woody Allen film. That is a good thing. If you like any of Woody Allen’s many fine movies, you’ll like this one.This movie was included among the movie trailers before the main attraction of the DVD begins. My interest was drawn immediately when Woody Allen appeared in the first few moments. I concluded after a short that this was a Woody Allen film, but I was darned if I could recall this one. Then the trailer advertises, “A film by John Turturro, ....” What? John Turturro wrote and directed this movie.Don’t be fooled, though. It may say, “by John Turturro,” but it appears to me that Woody Allen was the indirect, if not guiding, inspiration of this funny romp.This is not a bad thing. You won’t be wasting time watching this movie. The acting is good, good plot, Turturro is a decent director.It also has all the hallmarks of a Woody Allen film:A neebish main character.Upscale New York setting.A plot containing elements of sexual intrigue.Puckish, smart, witty dialogue.The most important give-away: length of the movie. This movie is 90 minutes long. I would say that 95 percent or more of Woody’s films are 90 minutes, no more, no less, like this one.Woody Allen shines in this film. John Turturro wrote his character as a withdrawn, sullen, retiring character, who Allen is trying to motivate into a three-some. Thus, the spotlight is always on Woody Allen, if not because his character has more personality. Allen and John Turturro are like salt and pepper and there is an odd chemistry to their on-screen personas.All in all, a good, watchable, enjoyable movie.

Actor John Turturro's directorial debut "Romance and Cigarettes" showed a lot of promise but to me smacked of watered down Coen Brothers. Ironically this film bears the influence of Woody Allen, who is brilliant as Turturro's co-star here, but has enough originality to stand on its own. Between the laugh out loud moments like Allen's character being dragged before an Orthodox Jewish tribunal or the Hasidic Jew played by Liev Schreiber who never heard of "The Godfather" there are moments of great poignance which give the film resonance. For instance Turturro's Fioravante truly loves women and only takes up the world's oldest profession out of necessity and has real misgivings about what he is doing. The film also demonstrates a side of New York that even Allen in his countless endeavors hadn't uncovered. Additionally the film is rich in characterization none more than the turn by Johnny Depp's former girlfriend Vanessa Paradis as a young Jewish widow. Paradis has a fragile beauty that belies an inner strength and to me her performance should be noted at Oscar time. This film is a hit on all cylinders and I give it my unqualified recommendation.

It was excellent. Interesting, funny, sad, entertaining, a roller coaster of emotions. well played. It's not really a love story so I think men would enjoy this as well especially with Sharon Stone and Sofia Vergara in their very sexy and spicy rolls. Turturro is an excellent director and well, Woody Allen was Woody Allen. As he says in the movie to Allen about pimping him out, "I'm not a beautiful man." But by the end of the movie his beauty evolved inside and out making him just about every woman's dream guy. A true tale that beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder. Only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that true love didn't win out in the end (I'm a sucker for true love conquering all) because of the brainwashing belief systems put upon women in all societies, not just the one in the film. What a peaceful and harmonious world it could be if humans weren't divided by religious belief systems. Take that out of the equation, keep the love, peace, humanity and kindness parts, and we'd all get along and even live happily ever after! John Lennon had it right... IMAGINE!

What do I love about this film?1. the fabulous and memorable jazz music,2. the original and quirky premise of the plot (men resorting to sex work in a downturn economy),3. the fascinating glimpses of how constricting life can be for a woman in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community,4. the moment when Vanessa Paradis quietly, modestly speaks truth to patriarchal power,5. the humanity, decency, and sensitivity of Turturro's character,6. the biracial relationship of Woody Allen's character and his wife Othella, and his affectionate fathering as "Papa Mo," who explains the definition of words like "ensorcelled" to his young step-sons,7. the lice sub-plot8. the humor that grows organically out of the plot9. the ending--which is not predictable and which illustrates the theme that "Where there is love, there is pain."10. the gritty sense of NYC evoked in the film.In my opinion, it's a perfect film: startlingly original and full of charm and decency.