Review of American Gigolo (1980) by Steph G — 12 Jun 2007

American Gigolo is surely one of the most underrated movies of all times. It's a very good movie, in my opinion second best of Paul Schrader's films, right after "Mishima - Life in four chapters", and I never understood why it got all the bad reviews. First of all it's one of the most stylish films I've ever seen, with fascinating scenes from start to finish, vibrant colors and beautiful sets and exterior shots. Paul Schrader, apart from being a great scriptwriter is also the master of photography, maybe the best in modern Hollywood. American Gigolo is a phenomenal character study too, struggle of a lonely man against the society he doesn't belong to, and in which he was artificially implanted by becoming something he's not. Michelle (Lauren Hutton) succeeds in bringing out the true Julian Kay, and their relationship on screen is very close and direct, although it maybe doesn't seem so, probably because both of the actors appear cold and distant, but that's just the result of the world they're living in. Both their lives are fake, and the only time they are real is with one another. The love scene between Julian and Michelle is one of the best in history of the cinema, it tells so much without showing much. Paul Schrader is one of my favorite directors, but that's only a small fraction of why I'm giving this movie.

10 out of 10.