Review of Fading Gigolo (2013) by Jonathan B — 27 Sep 2014

When Woody Allen fixes up his friend, John Tuturro to sleep with his dermatologist for cash, a whole new and unexpected world opens up for them. This is a quirky, funny and, surprisingly, incredible touching film about the need for human contact.

Allen steals the show as bookstore owner Murray and delivers some brilliantly funny and typically Jewish, New York lines. In this movie, he comes over as more confident and self-assured than his more usual neurotic persona.

You definitely get the feeling that he's something of an arch manipulator and it's a role he suits well. John Turturro is lovely, very understated and natural as Fioravante and in the multiple roles of lead, director and writer of the movie proves more than capable.

It is the touching and unexpected effect that he has on Vanessa Paradis' character of Avigal that is the real surprise of this movie and represents a shift of expectations. Paradis is captivating in her portrayal of the widowed character who hails from a strict, orthodox Jewish community.

This is a gentle comedy which won't be to everyone's tastes but I found it to be both original and moving, making a very pleasant change from the norm.