It is about people’s endless and never fully satisfying quest to find happiness through sex and love. (FADING GIGOLO – Movie Review)
Fading Gigolo starring John Turturro as Fioravante is a poignant movie that touches upon the growing aspect of sadness resulting from loneliness amongst the aging elite and even ordinary simple people.
Murray played by Woody Allen meets Dr. Parker an aging cosmetologist, played by Sharon Stone, and discovers that there is no jest in her and suggests that she should pep up her life. He gets a call from her asking him to arrange for a gigolo.
Murray talks to his friend Fioravante, a middle aged man who is a florist to adopt this new profession and offers to become his manager. Fioravante first refuses arguing that he is not an Adonis nor have the film star looks or the body, besides he is over the hill. Murray tells him women look for maturity and compassion, besides he will be indirectly offering them happiness and will get paid for it.
It’s a win-win situation for all. After the initial hesitation, Fioravante agrees partly to help his friend Murray with money. Dr. Parker is enamored by Fioravante’s composed mannerism and Fioravante’s adventure as a Don Juan rolls on the right track. A Jewish pious religious widow with 6 children Avigal played by Venessa Paradis, is leading a secluded boring life. Murray decides to add some sparkle in her mundane life and shares the idea of her going to a therapeutic masseur .
Fioravante pretends to be a professional masseur and somewhere strikes a chord with the reclusive widow who begins to open up to him. They both start finding solace in each other’s company. Subconsciously Fioravante finds redemption for himself in bringing a smile to the simple widow. In the meantime Dr. Parker refers Fioravante to another socialite Sofia who wants to add spice to her dull existence. Here again Fioravante’s quiet and sober demeanor charms her as well.
Fioravante develops strong feelings for Avigal and begins to lose interest in his role as a gigolo. Dovi a Jew officer played by Liev Schreiber, has been secretly in love with the widow for years and keeps a tab on her movement. He starts interrogating Fioravante on some or other pretext and finally corners Murray when he discovers that Avigal is going soft on Fioravante. He virtually kidnaps Murray and presents him in front of a Jewish court on the charges of encouraging a widow to indulge in adultery. Avigal comes to the aid of Murray in the court and confesses that she met Fioravante and while doing so relates her sorry plight of loneliness.
Avigal tells Dovi that she also likes him and they both visit Fioravante to thank him. In a way Fioravante frees Avigal of her age old ideas and she reciprocates Dovi’s feelings of love and accepts him. Fioravante is affected, still takes in his stride but decides to shift base. Murray tries to convince him to change his decision while they both were having lunch at a restaurant. They accidentally meet a coquettish woman there and Murray starts to flirt with her harmlessly but she seems to like Fioravante. The story ends with Fioravante decides to stay back…
The film is an honest attempt to highlight the unhappiness, isolation, rejection prevalent amongst people no matter what their social status is. Fioravante is a mature man who understands women and cherish them in his own sweet way. He is not flamboyant, not even good looking and a middle aged man, yet there is something about him that is captivating. The two socialites also feel happy when they discover that
Fioravante is truly in love, Fioravante himself rejoices when Abigal finds happiness with Dovi.
On the whole the film advocates happiness and celebrates joy. It’s a brilliant subject where all the seasoned actors essayed their roles so convincingly that it brings a smile to everyone’s face.Few scenes in the story are laced with subcomedy and adds a light humor to the story.
Review by Preshita Sood
For Enlarged Pics, click on the Thumbnails:
CAST:
John Turturro – Fioravante
Woody Allen – Murray
Vanessa Paradis – Avigal
Liev Schreiber – Dovi
Sharon Stone – Dr. Parker
Sofia Vergara – Selima
Bob Balaban -Sol
CREDITS:
Studio – Millennium Entertainment
Directed by John Turturro
Written by John Turturro
FADING GIGOLO – Movie Review
