Review of Fading Gigolo (2013) by Jim H — 31 May 2014

A flower arranger becomes a gigolo.

Woody Allen's acting, not often lauded, makes this film enjoyable. With some classic Woody lines, Allen's performance is so typical Woody that I think people underrate Allen as an actor. His scenes give the film a jaunty, off-beat charm in relief of a tone that is at times slow and plodding.

The story is okay, but there are a lot of unanswered questions. For example, why does Fioravante take so quickly and easily to his new profession? What is the history between Avigal and Dovi that makes their end logical? What was Avigal expecting when she hired Fioravante? These questions are central to understanding the characters and the story as a whole. Also, writer/director John Turturro didn't give himself enough to do to develop Fioravante, and the climactic scene falls flat, much to the film's detriment.

All the film's flaws notwithstanding, it still funny, entertaining, and poignant in its treatment of intimacy set against an impressive multi-cultural backdrop.

Overall, Woody Allen, an underrated and strong actor, and Turturro's comic script make this a fine film despite its story flaws.