FADING GIGOLO – The Review

Actor John Turturro may be best known as one of the screen’s best character actors who has been a part of the repertory companies of both Spike Lee (DO THE RIGHT THING, JUNGLE FEVER) and the Coen brothers (MILLER’S CROSSING, THE BIG LEBOWSKY), but he’s begun to make a name for himself behind the camera as well. After directing the music based documentary PASSIONE in 2010 he has now directed his fourth dramatic feature (MAC in 1992, ILLUMINATA in 1998, and the musical ROMANCE AND CIGARETTES in 2005). Well, this a more of a comedy. To be more precise it’s a New York City-based comedy, much in the same vein as Woody Allen’s 70’s and 80’s classics (for the last few years Woody’s been shooting his stories in Europe and with last year’s BLUE JASMINE in ‘gasp’ California). And guess who Mr. Turturro is directing and sharing scenes with? Mr. Allen himself. Oh yes, and Mr. Tuturro is directing himself in the unlikely lead role. The former BARTON FINK is now a FADING GIGOLO.

Modern day NYC, like most of the US, is tough place for small, independent retailers. As the film opens another long-standing “mom and pop” (well, mostly pop) book store has closed its doors. As they clear the shelves, the shop’s owner Murray (Allen) tells his long-time clerk Fioravonte (Turturro) about an interesting conversation he recently had with his dermatologist. The lady doctor revealed to him her desire to have a menage a’ trois with her best gal pal. She would pay for the male participant, but didn’t know where to look. Murray suggests to Fio that he be the third-party and collect a thousand bucks (of course, Murray would get a “finder’s fee”). Fio scoffs at first (“She’d want a George Clooney-type”), but Murray convinces him to at least meet her for a drink. Before the meeting, the lady, Dr.Parker (Sharon Stone), phones her friend Selima (Sofia Vergara) that their prospective partner is coming over to her place for a drink and an interview. When Fio arrives at her spacious Manhatten condo the two really, REALLY, hit it off and she pays him for his time. Delighted by the cash windfall, Murray begins bringing other “clients” over to Fio’s modest apartment for afternoon “sessions”. When Murray takes one of his girlfriend’s sons over to a specialist for a “di-liceing” sclap treatment, he strikes up a conversation with the hair stylist, a recent widow of a local rabbi, Avigal (Vanessa Paradis). But she needs to be persuaded, and Murray’s frequent visits to her home arouse the suspicions of the neighborhood patrolman Dovi (Liev Schreiber) who has had a crush on the quiet woman for some time. When Avigal finally visits Fio for an afternoon massage, the two connect somehow. Something about this woman from a very different culture touches him deeply. Will Fio give up his new life, and the upcoming threesome, in order to begin a relationship while staying several steps ahead of the inquisitive Dovi, and his law-enforcement buddies?

Turturro the actor pulls back somewhat in the lead role of Fio. He’s the embodiment of that cliché’ “strong, silent type” which is, perhaps, part of his appeal to the different ladies. He becomes a sounding board for his clients until the Avigal character ignites a different passion. But Fio does enjoy his customers, along with his more relaxed lifestyle (and fatter bank accounts). Turturro allows his supporting cast to carry much of the story and one of them almost makes off with the film. Allen is delightful as the old rascal living vicariously through his younger friend. He gets to flirt with the ladies, but there’s no pressure to, ahem, perform. He exhibits a childish glee as he comes up with “outlaw” names for the duo (“We’re ‘Bongo’ and Virgil!”). Late in the film, when things do get dangerous we see a bit of that twitchy nebbish from those long ago early flicks and stand-up. Besides the great chemistry with Turturro, his scenes with his African-American girlfriend’s four kids crackle, particularly as he teaches them the finer points of baseball. Woody’s this movie’s MVP. At the other end of the spectrum, Paradis brings a quiet dignity to the still beautiful widow. We see her, with the help of Fio, emerging from her shell like a butterfly breaking out of the cocoon of her husband’s passing. The scene of her reacting to Fio’s tender touch is quite moving. As for Fio’s menage’ partners, Stone is as radiant as ever even in her initial uncertainty in their first encounter. When the passion begins we witness her releasing her frustration over her loveless marriage. As always Vergara displays her fiery Latin passion, but this is a more subtle, intelligent performance than we’ve seen from her. She’s not the screeching harpy of MACHETE KILLS, nor the dithering bombshell from NEW YEAR’S EVE or TV’s “Modern Family”, her Selima feels very real. And Schreiber is endearing and a tad scary as the jealous protector, who shows his vulnerable side when he finally professes his feelings. In a way, Fio’s helped him open him too.

Turturro the director leads this cast with a sure, steady hand making excellent use of the often familiar New York locations. He shows us some neighborhoods not often used as film settings. He uses no fancy angles or tricks to tell this tale, even choosing to push his character aside. This is well illustrated in the massage scene as he focuses in on the expressive Paradis’s face as she reacts to Turturro’s hands. And he knows just how much of Woody, the film needs (we’re left wanting more Murray, er, ‘Bongo’!). And in the film’s final confrontation with the residents of Avigal’s orthodox neighborhood the script doesn’t resort to easy stereotypes for laughs. Kudos to the film’s screenwriter…John Turturro. FADING GIGOLO is a charming, sometimes heart-breaking walk on the wild side with a couple of fellas’ who are really more on the mild side.

4 Out of 5 Stars

FADING GIGOLO opens everywhere and screens exclusively in the St. Louis area at Landmark’s Plaza Frontenac Cinemas