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Woody Allen Is a Pimp in New John Turturro Movie

Woody Allen in the trailer for Fading Gigolo

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Fading Gigolo stars John Turturro, who also wrote and directed the film, as a man who decides to become a prostitute as a favor for his friend, Murry, a failing bookseller played by Woody Allen. Sharon Stone and Sofia Vergara play two clients who apparently become interested in a threesome.

That sounds like a fairly silly male fantasy, and the trailer reinforces that impression—while also making the movie look like a Woody Allen knockoff possibly elevated by the presence of the actual Woody Allen.

But Turturro’s last fictional feature was the very underrated and idiosyncratic Romance & Cigarettes, so I’m going to hold out hope that the strong faux-Woody vibe is at least partly a matter of marketing. And the story has a vaguely end-of-men subtext, à la Magic Mike, that perhaps Turturro will examine intelligently. Plus there’s the cast, which, besides the actors mentioned above, also includes Liev Schreiber, Bob Balaban, and Jill Scott.

Anyway, we should find out later this year or perhaps some time next. Fading Gigolo will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

Read more from the Trailer Critic.