American Gigolo (1980)

Sorry, this movie sucks

So much average

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

I know different actors and such but same time frame of the 80's and same theme one center focused actor and some awesome cast. The way movies should continue to be written there really has not been an new recent movies that have hit me like the old movies do. This came up as a recommendation on x1 and man i am impressed, just noticed detective is same actor from fear and loathing and i love that movie also. This movie was so much ahead of its time with the topics and such they were discussing in the movie. Very well written another one of Richard Gere's roles that will always impress the fans. Just got to the part where he is shopping in the vinyl section, boy do i wish i had kept some of my old vinyl's.

With just a little bit of thought, just how hard was it to figure out who the murderer was in this one? Given the characters we're introduced to in the story, the only logical choice was the Rheiman dude himself. Having the blond kid do it was just a diversion, he didn't seem necessary even as an ancillary character.Oh well. Since the story is called "American Gigolo", it comes a bit out of left field when the picture turns into a murder mystery. But even then, it didn't seem like much of a thriller. Planting the stolen jewels in Julian's (Richard Gere) car didn't move the story forward in my estimation, and the way Detective Sunday (Hector Elizondo) blew off Leon's (Bill Duke) death with a circumspect eye witness was simply too incredulous for this viewer to accept.So what's left? Well I guess that would be the ending when Michelle (Lauren Hutton) shows up at the jail and offers to lie to provide Julian with his alibi in the Rheiman murder. An admirable thing to do in one respect, but I'd want to see the trial in the sequel to see how this all turns out. The divorce was bound to be messy.

Young Richard Gere plays Julian; a man who knows how to please women and is paid handsomely for it. Things are going well for him and he can pick and choose who he works for and he has just started a relationship with a beautiful woman but his life is soon turned upside down. After taking a job in Palm Springs as a favour for his friend Leon the woman is murdered. When the police start asking questions he isn't concerned at first but soon it becomes apparent that somebody is trying to frame him. He was with another woman on the night of the murder but she is not going to ruin her reputation to give him an alibi. As the story approaches its end it looks as though Julian won't be able to clear his name; he may work among the upper echelons of society but he certainly isn't part of it and it isn't likely that anybody will risk ruin to help him.Richard Gere goes a fine job in a role that could have been written for him; he is believable as the man older women pay for. Lauren Hutton is also good as love interest Michelle and Bill Duke is great as Leon; the friend who might not be as friendly as he claims to be. Writer/director gives us a stylish mystery with a twist; this isn't about finding who committed the murder, it is about whether or not an innocent man will be able to clear his name. Given the subject matter it isn't surprising that there is some nudity but it is shown in a fairly matter of fact way and is limited to a couple of scenes. Overall this is a slick film that fans of Richard Gere or '80s movies will want to check out.

Growing-up in the 80's I give that decade's movies the extra benefit of the doubt. Such is the case for Paul Schrader's "American Gigolo", which is a pretty standard flick from then,although it helped launch a younger Richard Gere's career during the time - "An Officer and a Gentleman" is probably Gere's finest. The movie reminds a bit of Risky Business though not nearly as endearing or well done. Gigolo's murder mystery takes a back seat to the steamy romance between Gere's and Lauren Hutton's characters, the real draw and centerpiece of the movie. An early scene beginning scene with them both speaking French steals the show. It's easily the best scene in the movie. Mildly recommended thanks to the romance. Say a 6.8/10