Fading Gigolo written and directed by John Turturro, Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Vanessa Paradis

This is a Woody Allen movie without Allen’s direction: New York setting, snappy one-liners about mortality, sex, money and relationships, with a small ensemble cast in which the little represents the big. The duo, John Turturro and Woody Allen, are pickle and rye as Murray (Allen) persuades Fioravante (Turturro) to do turns for money, as dermatologist (Sharon Stone) is turned by the idea of a ménage. The fading gigolo, like the film’s autumnal cinematography, is a series of passing moments. Fioravante speaks with many tongues and has healing hands. There is no real threat, even when he falls for Hassidic widow (Vanessa Paradis) under the watchful eye of her strict community. This is not a film for the plot-conscious, but its pace is superb, matched by an evocative Jazz/Kletzmer score. Fading Gigolo captures the bittersweet quality of life passing and life having passed, served on the rocks, New York style. And see the winsome look Allen gives Turturro at the end as if to say: ‘couldn’t have done it better myself.’