Liverpool Sound and Vision Review 7/10

Cast: John Turturro, Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Sofia Vergara, Vanessa Paradis, Lieb Schreiber, Max Casella, Aida Turturro, Michael Badalucco, Aurélie Claudel, Loan Chabanol.

Fading Gigolo he maybe in a film but there is nothing faded, jaded or withered about John Turturro as a writer or as a film maker.

When Fioravante, John Turturro, helps purveyor of old and rare books Murray, Woody Allen, help finally close his shop due to the economic times we live in, it sets of a chain of events that sees the two impoverished men turn the tide slightly back in their favour by the under-discussed subject of prostitution for rich female clients.

The set-up is simple, at times charming and well observed but a Richard Gere, Fioravante is not. What he has going for him though is his gentleness, humour and the intelligence to learn that his situation requires drastic action.

The film plays obviously on the thought of being able to purchase somebody in such a way that they can take your body but they are not able to buy your mind. It asks the question that might make many men uncomfortable enough to ask themselves why they believe it is o.k. for a woman to perform for a while and money but seemingly ridiculous or demeaning when a man does it.

There can be no question over the dynamic between both Woody Allen and John Turturro, both on screen and away from it. It is far too difficult to portray a sense of mutual admiration in each other’s work if it isn’t working comfortably off screen and the sense of mutual understanding, the timing of each well written line by John Turturro comes across as an homage to Woody Allen films such as the great Annie Hall or even the easy flowing mad nature of Blue Jasmine. There are echoes laden throughout the film as if Mr. Turturro had found himself trapped in a candlelight room with nothing to do all day but watch some of Woody Allen’s finest moments on screen. The easy dialogue that ran between the two men capturing some of the wracked Jewish humour that made Woody Allen a star, played well upon the nervousness of the situation and whilst subjects perhaps as gigolos or prostitution maybe difficult to get round in some minds, it is perhaps a fact of life, rightly or wrongly that many will find themselves tempted to use the profession to get out of debt.

Perhaps the only issue of Fading Gigolo is the sometimes underuse of the other characters, including Vannesa Paradis who was arguably not given more of a chance to shine in role that demanded much attention that she got. The ease in which her character, Avigal, went from grieving widow of a much respected Rabbi and someone who respected the rules of her faith to someone who stepped up against the patriarchal society in which she lived, was too fast a conversion, a welcome one no doubt and giving women of her faith a reason not to feel the bitterness of loss but still far too quickly masked over. Emotions turned over far too quickly and without any of the tortured guilt that Woody Allen played so well in many of his films.

Also underused was the great Bob Balaban as Murray’s attorney. Again a part that could have had so much more emphasis placed on, especially in the Rabbi leader’s judgement against Murray.

These small nagging doubts aside, you understand what you are getting with a Woody Allen starring film, the one liners are magnificently drawn, as is the life of the Jewish community and for anyone who may have even walked round the streets of Brooklyn or Harlem, there is nothing like seeing the life of those proud inhabitants being portrayed on screen.

When Woody Allen finally decides enough is enough, there is at least a ready-made actor/writer to step into his gigantic shoes.

Ian D. Hall