Casi un gigoló

Woody Allen isn't really an actor for hire. It's just not something he does: if he acts, he generally prefers to do so in films he also writes and directs, largely because - one suspects - he only feels comfortable playing parts that he knows are tailored to his particular strengths. So it's odd and potentially exciting that he agreed to take a rather key role in Fading Gigolo, a passion project for actor-turned-writer-and-director John Turturro. As it turns out, it's easy to see why Allen agreed to join the cast: when the film works, it can be as charmingly quirky, odd and romantic as Allen's own movies. Even when it doesn't work, the cheeky byplay between Allen and Turturro's characters remains a selling point.

The story goes like this: bookseller Murray (Allen) encounters hard times in the bookselling business, and hits upon the novel idea of playing the pimp to his unexpectedly charming friend Fioravante's (Turturro) gigolo. As the business takes off, Fioravante encounters women both adventurous and shy. But, even in the face of such voluptuous and voracious beauties as Dr. Parker (Sharon Stone) and her girlfriend Selima (Sofia Vergara), he's particularly intrigued by Avigal (an intriguing Vanessa Paradis), the buttoned-down widow of an orthodox rabbi who's barely surviving the extremely strict rules and regulations that accompany her husband's death.

There's a lot to enjoy and even love in Turturro's gentle, quaint film. He excels in injecting tenderness into scenes that are practically structured to be awkward, like Fioravante's first encounters with both Dr. Parker and Avigal. But both turn out to be strangely, sweetly tender, as he manages to tap into something primal within both women that they both sorely need. The gentlemanly respect with which Fioravante treats all the ladies brought to him by Murray help the film's slightly out-dated message - women need a man to help them break down the walls that surround their hearts - go down a lot easier.

But Fading Gigolo also veers into considerably less successful territory, chiefly by turning Fioravante and Avigal's relationship into an uncomfortable love triangle with Dovi (Liev Schreiber), an orthodox Jew who serves in the community police force in Avigal's neighbourhood and has loved her from afar for years. There are a couple of fun comedy beats in this romantic entanglement, particularly when Avigal remains determinedly unresponsive towards Dovi's advances. But Turturro's tale takes such an odd left turn at the end that it undermines a lot of Fioravante's own growth within the film, which comes about when he realises just how strong an emotional connection he's forged with Avigal.

Fortunately, the film benefits greatly from the spiky chemistry between Allen and Turturro - their characters spar and tease with words and glances, as Murray talks Fioravante into a business that really doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense. (It's readily acknowledged that neither of them is a natural fit for their respective roles as pimp and gigolo.) It's not quite enough to completely salvage Fading Gigolo, but the central friendship does survive the script's stranger and less truthful moments, and adds immeasurably to its charm.

John Turturro did a good job both as a director and as an actor: I appreciated both his touching and amusing attitude towards the subject and his heartfelt interpretation as Fioravante. When the umpteenth love story seems to arise in a New York apartment, the delicacy of sentiments wraps every situation, with a touching and somehow magic vision of loneliness which releases a very heartwarming sensation. His character is magnetic to women, and indeed he can appeal the female public, he has that courtesy, that delicacy, that simplicity which attracts women, he looks like a man of ancient times, he is capable of looking into a woman's eye, to listen to them, to understand and appraise them without too many words, but simply standing by them. And in the end, nothing really happens, simply because nothing is needed to happen, according to a delicate and almost prudish attitude towards love which never abandons the picture till the end. Allen as a women-recruiter is funny and obsessive as only Allen can be, and the comedy on the whole owns much to him when some comic and ironic style makes us smile, and when the charm of walking along New York streets makes one look forward to being there.

Murray's dermatologist tells him she wants a threesome with her girlfriend, and Murray provides the services of his friend, middle aged Fiorovante. The cottage industry of "making lonely women happy" expands to include orthodox Jewish widow Avigal, but she is the object of desire of Neighbourhood Watch operative Dovi. Also, the way people feel towards each other can change.

Written by, directed by, and starring John Turturro as the unlikely gigolo Fiorovante, an ungenerous soul might suggest that this improbable sex-based comedy drama was just an excuse for him to film a nude scene with Sharon Stone. But I quite liked it. It is rather inconsequential, and the character Fiorovante is fairly inexpressive and therefore difficult to identify with. Also, Liev Schreiber's Dovi is quite unlikeable, and the developments involving his character aren't that convincing. But, as Murray, Woody Allen - not one of my favourite actors - delivers what is probably the best performance I have ever seen from him: gentle, wryly humorous, and spilling over with humanity. The trademark Allen tics are all there, but I liked Murray a lot. And Vanessa Paradis as Avigal was luminous.

Despite its improbability, this rather odd little drama with comedy engaged and entertained me.

John Turturro proofed that he can handle a light comedy as an actor as well as a director. It is easy to see how he got Woody Allen to appear in his film because the story could be by Woody Allen himself and the figure Allen plays sounds as familiar as it can be. Even the Jewish neighborhood fits very well.

The movie starts out with no waste of time as a Woody Allen-style comedy without overdoing it. Allen coaxes Turturro, who works in a flower shop to become a hired lover for rich middle aged ladies. They share the money he gets and Allen spends it for the black! family he lives with. This partnership works out pretty fast and quite successful. But then the story does a sudden turn into deeper emotions when Allen connects him with the widow Avigal who is a devoted Jewess who after two years still mourns her dead husband...

Although many scenes begin as a comedy some end on a very touching note. John Turturro knows when it is best to let the audience guess what will come next. Although a bit of a fairy tale story he never completely leaves the bounds of reality, especially in the end of the film. I left the theater with a smile. (seen at the Viennale - Vienna International Film Festival)

Okay, this could well have been written and directed by Woody Allen. It has the feel of a Woody Allen picture. New York, Jewish neighborhood, and John Turturro as an unlikely Romeo who will quite possibly win your heart. The longer you watch, the more charm you see in him. Woody Allen as Murray was, well, Woody Allen and if you are a fan, you'll enjoy it. I am. And I did. Perhaps the ending wasn't exactly what I would have chosen at first thought, but I as I walked out of there it seemed as if it was probably about perfect. This won't appeal to everyone, but then not everyone is a Woody Allen type movie aficionado. If you are, you'll like this one. I thoroughly enjoyed a quiet little film sans all the non-stop violence and action that leaves you wiped out and drained by the end of it. Turturro did a fine job on this film. I left the theater with a smile on my face and a feeling that this was a really good little movie.