Fading Gigolo

For this being the summer movie season, it has gotten to a slow start, and it's already May 10th. Yes, we've seen the two Marvel comic book films released, but where's the variety? I've seen a few independent films which have been well done, but I'm still waiting for Hollywood to start releasing good solid summer fare. Which takes me to "Fading Gigolo", a small independent film which seemed much longer than the 90 minute running time.

Fioravante (John Turturro), a florist, decides to become a professional 'Don Juan' as a way of making money to help his cash-strapped longtime friend, Murray (Woody Allen). Fioravante only makes this decision after Murray's constant justification and rationalizing of the decision. With Murray acting as his 'manager' and receiving forty percent of the profits, the duo quickly finds themselves caught up in the crosscurrents of love and money.
Fioravante subsequently comes into contact with Avigal (Vanessa Paradis), a widow of two years, who misses her husband tremendously. They meet, and as they have their 'session', she begins to cry, because she has never been touched since her husband passed away. He obviously decides to stop and is considerably understanding. This event not only helps her but him as well as they start to fall in love and he starts to question this new found profession.
 
Others to round out the cast are Liev Schreiber as Dovi, Sharon Stone as Dr. Parker, Fioravante's first client, Sofia Vergara as Selima, a subsequent client, Tonya Pinkins as Othella, Jade Dixon as Cee Cee, M'Barka Ben Taleb as Mimou, Bob Balaban as Sol, Murray's attorney, David Margulies as Chief Rebbe, Abe Altman as First Rabbi, Sol Frieder as Ancient Rabbi, Max Casella as Guy at Counter, Allen Lewis Rickman as Hasidic Driver, and Teddy Bergman as Yossi.

This was directed with such pathos and empathy by actor, John Turturro ("Mac" '92, "Illuminata" '98, "Romance & Cigarettes" '05, "Passione" '10). As a 'chameleon', this guy has acted in so many different roles in so many films, that this would have to give him that edge, he would need, to know how to get these consummate actors to respond as they do. This was also written by Turturro and even though it was written extremely well in the purist sense, it did take a long time for this to actually get off the ground. Maybe I was a bit impatient at the time, but it had some areas that just didn't seem crucial enough even though it was a relatively short film. Even though Allen didn't have any input, credit wise, in this, the feel of the movie was very similar of that of an Allen film.

If you are either an Allen or Turturro fan, you will revel, however if you like comedies with more pratfalls, toilet humor, this is not the film for you. This is a very powder dry comedy/ drama, that unfortunately will leave you wanting more.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                             Rated: R                               90mins.