American Gigolo
Genre: Crime/Drama/Erotic
Director: Paolo Sorrentino
Writer: Roy Horne
Based on the 1980 film
Cast: Jacob Elordi, Sarah Gadon, Giovanni Ribisi, Marlon Wayans, James Van Der Beek, William Baldwin, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Sylvia Hoeks, Froy Gutierrez, KaDee Strickland, Suzanna Son
Plot: Julian Kaye (Jacob Elordi), oozing style and confidence, steps into the Giorgio Armani boutique in Beverly Hills. A saleswoman glides over to him, greeting Julian by name as Mr. Kaye. Julian tells her that he is there to pick up a new jacket. As he tries on the jacket, it fits like a luxurious glove. Looking at his own reflection, he tells the saleswoman that he'll take it. With the swipe of a credit card, Julian leaves the store. He climbs behind the wheel of his brand new Porsche 911 convertible. The high-performance car's screech on the asphalt as it speeds away from the shop with ease, driving toward the Pacific Ocean.
Julian steps out of his car in front of a lavish Malibu beach house. At the door, he is greeted by Anne (Sylvia Hoeks), a madam who occasionally hires Julian for only her most important and wealthiest clients. Anne introduces Julian to her newest girl, Violet (Suzanna Son), who is sunbathing topless on the balcony. Violet looks at Julian and asks if Julian would like to have sex with her. Julian laughs, asking Anne where he found this one. Embarrassed, Anne tells Violet that Julian's visit is about work, not pleasure. Anne brings Julian into her office to discuss hiring him for a simple job the next night. Julian demands a higher percentage of the profits than usual. Anne refuses to meet his financial demands and Julian declines the job. Julian gets up to leave the house, telling Anne to give him a call if something else comes up.
Julian's sleek black car glides through the Los Angeles streets to his apartment building. He steps into his minimalist apartment. His home gym awaits as he gets in his daily workout. Next comes his meticulous skincare routine. Just as he settles down for a quiet dinner of lean proteins, vibrant vegetables - all carefully measured portions - his phone rings. On the phone is Leon James (Marlon Wayans), a pimp that Julian got his start with a few years prior. Leon tells Julian that he needs him as an urgent substitute for a job in Palm Springs the next night. Julian doesn't want to drive the 110 or so miles out to the desert, but will if the price is right. He demands a higher percentage of the profits than he even asked for from Anne. Leon reluctantly agrees, commenting that the client's business is important enough to pay extra for Julian. Leon sends over the details - address and time - over an encrypted text.
Julian goes out to work on his own that night at the bar of a hip, high-end restaurant, trying to find his own clients for a change. He sees a blonde woman, Michelle Stratton (Sarah Gadon), sitting a few stools away. He notices that her eyes are watching him. As he sips on a drink, he allows his eyes to catch hers. She comments that it doesn't look like Julian is there for the food. He flirts back that maybe he is there for the company as he scoots over to the stool next to her. Michelle laughs, realizing that Julian is working her. When she questions his line of work, he says that he acts as a guide and chauffeur to women of certain means. She jokingly calls him a gigolo. Julian quietly says that is perhaps an oversimplification of what he does for a living. She asks him how much he would charge for one night. Julian scans her eyes, trying to figure out if she is serious or not. Michelle's phone suddenly buzzes and she excuses herself. Julian watches Michelle walk away, intrigued.
The next evening, Julian makes the drive out to Palm Springs from Los Angeles in his Porsche. Julian arrives at the address, an ultra-modern mansion in the desert and rings the doorbell. When Tom Rheiman (William Baldwin) answers the door, Julian says there must be some mistake as he doesn't do gay stuff or couples. Tom tells Julian to relax, he's there to have sex with his wife Judy (KaDee Strickland), who emerges completely naked. Tom says that he just wants to watch. Julian doesn't feel particularly comfortable and is thrown off his game, but goes along to the bedroom. Judy leans over the bed, presenting herself. Tom tells Julian to have sex with her from behind. Julian obliges, but soon Tom tells Julian to go rougher and spank Judy. Julian reluctantly does as he is told. Tom then tells Julian that he wants him to choke Judy. Julian stops and says that he doesn't feel comfortable with this job. Tom tells Julian that he wants what he paid for. Julian looks at Judy for her consent. Judy tells Julian to choke her like Tom wants. Julian begins choking Judy while taking her from behind. Tom watches, aroused. After the session is done, Julian gets back in his car. He feels cheap as he drives back toward Los Angeles as fast as he can. Back in his apartment, Julian takes a hot, steaming shower and tries to forget all about the job in Palm Springs.
A few nights later, Julian is accompanying widow Lisa Williams (Jeanne Tripplehorn) for dinner. Afterwards, Julian escorts Lisa back to her palatial estate looking over the city. Inside, Julian asks what Lisa would like to do now as he slowly unbuttons his shirt. Lisa stops him, telling him with a face of melancholy that she doesn't want to have sex with him. She wants to fall asleep in his arms and be held by him. Understanding, Julian envelops Lisa in his arms as she leans into his chest. They lay in bed, with Julian holding her closely. Tears slowly stream from Lisa's eyes. Julian doesn't say anything, he just holds her and lets her cry as she is still clearly mourning her deceased husband.
Julian returns to his apartment at dawn, finding Michelle waiting at his front door for him. He asks her how she found him. Michelle explains that a lot of people in town know the name "Julian Kaye" so all she had to do was ask. Julian invites her inside for breakfast. As Michelle looks around the apartment, she is surprised by how spartan the space is. She says that she expected the place to be a bit more stylish given that Julian caters to elite women. Julian chuckles, stating that he never works in his own home. Michelle offers to pay Julian to sleep with her. Julian tells her that he doesn't want her money. Julian brings the cooked scrambled eggs to the dining room, finding Michelle waiting for him completely naked. Julian drops the plate of eggs and takes Michelle into his bedroom. Michelle pushes Julian down onto the bed and climbs on top of him. Later, Julian and Michelle lay naked in bed, their sweat mixed and glistening on their skin. Michelle tells Julian that her marriage with her husband, a state senator, is void of love or emotion. She says that she thinks he only married her because he thinks she looks like a politician's wife and now she is afraid of how her actions may damage his political career. Julian advises Michelle to think about herself, not her husband's ambitions.
After Michelle has left his apartment, Julian heads down to the lobby to check his mail. As he sifts through a stack of junk mail, he hears LAPD Detective Joe Sunday (Giovanni Ribisi) canvassing other residents, looking for Julian Kaye. Julian interrupts Sunday, extending his hand and introducing himself to the detective. Sunday asks Julian if he ever met Judy Rheiman. Julian says the name sounds familiar. Sunday then reveals that Judy was found dead the other day, beaten and strangled to death in Palm Springs. Sunday asks Julian what he was doing during the approximate time of Judy's death. Julian thinks for a moment, before telling the detective that he was with a friend, Lisa Williams, that night. Sunday warns Julian to not leave town any time soon in case he has any more questions.
Julian is at a coffee shop when he is confronted by Senator Charles Stratton (James Van Der Beek), Michelle's husband. Stratton reveals that he knows that his wife has slept with him and demands to know how much she owes him so they can be free and clear. Julian is annoyed by Stratton and says that Michelle doesn't owe him a dime. Stratton reframes his question, then asks how much he has to pay Julian to stop seeing Michelle. Stratton writes a check for $20,000. Julian tears it to pieces in front of Stratton's face. Stratton grows agitated, warning him that there will be hell to pay if he continues seeing Michelle.
Julian is at the salon getting his hair trimmed when Detective Joe Sunday walks in and settles into the station next to Julian. Sunday tells Julian that they need to talk. Julian insists that he already told him everything he knows about Judy Rheiman's murder. Sunday then breaks the news to Julian that Lisa Williams did not provide much of an alibi for Julian for the night of Judy's murder. Julian is confused and hurt that Lisa lied to the police to seemingly protect her own reputation, once again insisting that he was with Lisa the entire night. Sunday then warns Julian that if he gets even an extra grain of evidence, he'd have enough to hold Julian on suspicion of the murder, but for now he would like to bring him in for a lineup as a neighbor of the Rheiman's witnessed someone leaving the house that night. Julian asks if he has a choice. Sunday smiles and says not really. Julian accompanies Sunday to the station and stands for a lineup. The witness fails to identify any of the men at the station. Sunday pats Julian and tells him that he had some luck today, but once again to stay in town.
Julian goes to Lisa's mansion straight from the police station. Disheveled, he pounds on her door until she answers. Julian demands to know why she lied to the police about being together the night of the murder. Lisa looks Julian coldly in the eye and tells him that she simply does not want to be involved in a murder investigation in any capacity. Lisa then closes the door in Julian's face. Julian loses his control and begins kicking at Lisa' front door in anger.
When Julian returns to his apartment, he finds that while he was gone that the police have ransacked the place in their search for evidence. Julian takes a deep breath and starts the process of cleaning up the mess the police left behind. As he grabs a broom and dustpan, he changes his mind and does the opposite. Rage consumes him as he slams on the coffee table until it splinters, smashes a chair, shatters a mirror. Out of breath, Julian surveys the damage. He looks down at his hands, which have become bloodied in his rage.
Julian goes to a gay nightclub in search of Leon. The music thumps loudly, forcing Julian to yell for direction until he finally finds Leon in a VIP booth with his latest boyfriend, Felix (Froy Gutierrez). Julian asks to talk to Leon for a minute. Leon tells Felix to go dance while he and Julian catch up. Julian asks Leon for help with an alibi for the murder of Judy Rheiman. Leon ponders for a moment before agreeing to talk with some people to work out an alibi for Julian. Julian thanks Leon, insisting that he's being framed for the murder. Leon suggests that Tom Rheiman probably killed his own wife - he's a freak after all.
Michelle and Julian meet up at a beautiful botanical park filled with flowers. Michelle glances down at a lily pond and tells Julian that her husband is shipping her off until after his upcoming election, afraid that she'll mess things up for his precious political career. This annoys Julian, who tells Michelle that she should leave her husband and be with him instead. Michelle passionately kisses Julian, but when she pulls away he sees her limo waiting. She tells him that she simply isn't ready to make such a decision right now. Michelle walks away and gets into the limo.
Julian's pulse races as he drives by his apartment building. He sees Detective Sunday and a squad of police officers waiting. Julian keeps driving, fumbling for his phone. He calls Anne, desperately pleading for her help. She agrees to meet him for lunch. They meet at the restaurant. Julian pleads for her help, but Anne tells Julian that she has no interest in helping him anymore. She reveals that she only accepted to see him for lunch because she wanted to end their association face-to-face with some class. Julian gets up to leave, angry at Anne's refusal to help. As Julian leaves the restaurant, he sees Leon's boy toy Felix walking away from his car. In the parking lot of the restaurant, Julian begins ripping apart his car in a paranoid frenzy, finally finding jewelry and underwear seemingly belonging to Judy Rheiman. Julian leaves his car behind and rents a plain sedan
Julian frantically searches for Leon in the city's gay nightclub scene to no avail. Julian sits on a bench across the street from Leon's apartment building, anxiously waiting for him. Julian waits all night until he finally sees Leon and Felix arriving around dawn. Julian follows them inside, confronting them as they enter the apartment. Felix runs off while Julian attacks Leon, tackling him through a door and onto the balcony. Julian holds Leon against the railing. Leon tells Julian that the frame is complete as the police already found some evidence that he had planted in Julian's apartment, so he might as well give up. Julian throws the jewelry and underwear at Leon, revealing he knows Leon put the frame on him. Julian asks how Judy Rheiman was really killed, suggesting that Felix must have done it and Leon decided to blame Julian instead of his new boy toy. Leon does not say anything, suspecting that Julian may be wearing a wire. Julian begs Leon to undo what he has done. Leon remains silent. Julian offers to work for Leon, doing whatever he wants - gay stuff, rough tricks, break in new boys, anything. Leon does not budge. Julian shoves Leon over the railing of the balcony. The pimp falls to his death.
Detective Sunday arrests Julian for the murder of Judy Rheiman. As Julian sits in a cell in the Los Angeles County Jail, Michelle appears for a visit. She reveals that she left her husband and is willing to give up anything to be with him. Julian has become sullen and suggests that Michelle stay away for her own good. Michelle tells Julian that he won't be able to get rid of her so easily. Michelle leaves the visitation room, assuring Julian that she has a plan to get him released. Michelle finds Sunday and tells him that she was with Julian the night of the murder. Sunday becomes angry and does not believe her. Michelle claims that she was afraid to come forward earlier as she was worried at the time about how it could hurt her husband's political career. Sunday is completely furious and does not believe Michelle, but his superiors order him to clear and release Julian from jail.
Michelle waits outside of the jail for Julian, greeting him when he finally arrives with a kiss. Together they walk hand in hand away from the jail and toward the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment