A penniless florist begrudgingly agrees to become a gigolo.

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Fioravante is a broke florist who lets himself be convinced by his friend Murray, a bookseller who’s closing his store, to become a gigolo. At first adamantly opposed to the idea, Fioravante agrees out of curiosity and for the challenge to meet a rich friend of Murray’s. Seduced by her beauty at first sight, he continues in his new career, with Murray as his pimp. Until he meets the sweet Avigal, a lonely Hassidic widow...

Reminiscent of a Woody Allen movie to the point where even the soundtrack and the set seem to be by Allen – and with Allen starring as his usual wisecracking, introverted self. But despite seeming funny in the trailer, this fifth directorial outing by John Turturro is a flavorless comedy, with neither scope nor magic, incapable giving any of his characters depth. The only person with something you could call a role is Vanessa Paradis, who at least infuses the movie with a certain tenderness. Unfortunately that’s not nearly enough to make Fading Gigolo a good film and even less to make it memorable.