Review of Fading Gigolo (2013) by Stuart K — 06 Feb 2015

Written and directed by John Turturro, whose directorial credits so far are Mac (1992), Illuminata (1998), Romance & Cigarettes (2005) and Passione (2010). For his latest film, he's created an absurb and gently silly romantic comedy drama, that is a buddy film at it's core, but it also has a touching love triangle at its core.

It has a lot of colourful characters on display throughout of all creeds. In New York, bookshop owner Murray (Woody Allen) needs money, his store has just closed and wants a nest-egg for his later years, after an encounter with his dermatologist Dr.

Parker (Sharon Stone), who needs a man for a ménage à trois with her friend Selima (Sofía Vergara), Murray suggests his friend Fioravante (Turturro), who is also in need of cash. Fioravante is reluctant at first, but a little enterprise comes of it.

When Murray meets Avigal (Vanessa Paradis), the attractive widow of an Hassidic rabbi, Murray recommends she goes to Fioravante for a massage, but cop Dovi (Liev Schreiber), becomes suspicious of what's going on.

It is a light and breezy film, and it's not perfect, but it's an enjoyable enough romp to pass the time, and it is quite ridiculous, especially when the film pokes light fun at Jewish traditions and their devoutness.

But, if anything, this is proof, once and for all, that Woody Allen can give a good performances outside his own films.