On A List of Movie Reviews
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American Gigolo (1980)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
10/03, 10/05, 5/08, 12/16, 1/22
5/08:
Not getting enough respect from critics, American Gigolo is a first-class production all the way through with a
touch of mastery.
Giving the performance of his career, Richard Gere is perfect as the high-priced escort. In fact, his character serves as a
role model for anyone who want to dress and look impeccable. I love the Armani clothes Julian Kay wears and the way
he goes about his business; when Richard Gere does it, my expectations are extremely high, and he never disappoints.
Lauren Hutton exudes the attitude of a wealthy well-do elite. Hector Elizondo, whom I don't like much, has little
screen time and is wisely put out of the way as soon as the mystery deepens although he's the key in transferring the film to
the neo-noir territory. What I like is the exploration of the gigolo world with discreetness and sincerity. It's
never sleazy as the word suggests but paints a rather nice and modest picture of the rich and beautiful.
All in all, American Gigolo is a rare film that works very well given the topic and may be the best picture of its genre.
12/16:
Widely credited for making Giorgio Armani a household name, American Gigolo is a first-class picture all the way through.
This is Richard Gere's best performance, and he will always be Julian Kay, a high-priced escort who dresses impeccably well
and speaks five or six languages.
All in all, American Gigolo oozes style and is one of the finest neo-noir pictures I've seen.
1/22:
Move over, Julia Roberts...Richard Gere shows what a high-priced escort is and, more importantly, how to do it well with
class.
This is the role he should be best known for. It's a fantastic movie with lots of style. The Armani clothes Richard
Gere wears, he introduces the brand in a big way. The story is neo-noir at its best. Lauren Hutton does an admirable
job of keeping up with him who's simply unbeatable.
One thing that dawned on me during my repeated viewing of American Gigolo is the AIDS crisis was budding during
this time and nobody knew what it was yet. So, it's entirely possible Julian Kay may have been infected because he
started out doing gay tricks. Then again, he could've escaped unscathed because he was dealing with high-end clientele
although some of them did get infected anyway. It's definitely an "I wonder" question.
All in all, because of his performance in American Gigolo, Richard Gere wins the Sexiest Man Alive of 1980 by a landslide.