American Gigolo

Writer/director Paul Schrader's stylish preoccupation with unorthodox sexual practices gives American Gigolo what little life it has. Though physically well suited for the title role, is nowhere near as exciting or charismatic as he was cracked up to be back in 1979. A male prostitute specializing in satisfying the kinky urges of the rich and famous, Gere becomes the fall guy when one of his clients is murdered. Only Lauren Hutton, the wife of a high-profile politician, can provide him with an alibi. Schrader's erotic imagery has never been universally accepted: some applaud him for his keen sense of visual dynamics, while others have written him off as a pricey pornographer. Your enjoyment of American Gigolo may very well come down to whether or not you truly care about what happens to the inscrutable Mr. Gere.