Director: Michael Lucas, Tony DiMarco
Studio: Lucas Entertainment
Produced: 2007
Condoms: yes
Starring: Michael Lucas, Jason Ridge, J., Ray Star, Zack Randall, Anthony Marks, Arpad Miklos, Ben Andrews, Erik Grant, Jason Sparks, Jimmy Trips, Kurt Wilde, Lars Svenson, Scott Tanner
Categories:
Daddy / Boy
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Oral Sex
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Rimming
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Horsehung
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Hunks
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Hairy Guys
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Cum Eating
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Men of New York City
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Model Interviews
It's a rare thing that the plot of an erotic flick becomes so engaging, it demands the viewer's attention. Mastering plot points while still giving viewers the hardcore thrill ride they came for is difficult, such that most directors don't even bother trying. Michael Lucas' Gigolo gets it right, both an excellent mix of steamy fucking and interesting writing.
Previous plot-driven efforts from Lucas like Dangerous Liaisons and La Dolce Vita, while unquestionably better than most porn flicks, didn't quite manage to strike the right balance between character development and down and dirty sex. With Gigolo, Mr. Lucas has mastered both, making a film featuring characters with rich on-screen lives, characters that can deliver dialogue and get nasty in the sack.
The plot centers around (no surprise here) Michael Lucas' character, a retired NYC hustler. For this particular ex-rent boy, life doesn't seem worth living since his socialite lover (a welcome cameo from the retired Spencer Quest) met his untimely end, killed by a city bus. This Gigolo is not the confident, sexy Richard Gere type, but a somber, even morose shell stumbling through, moment to moment.
Kurt Wild and Scott Tanner
Much like
Sunset Boulevard, the film opens with a dead body (Lucas), the clock then rewinding to reveal events days or hours before. Every character we meet from here on out is a potential suspect, and the trick is figuring out who had enough malice to do the deed.
Gigolo is not a murder mystery or whodunit, but a reflective study on one man's grief.
So who killed this aging hustler anyway? Could it be Jason Ridge? When we meet Ridge (Communion),
he's in the middle of passionate lovemaking with Lucas. As a director, Lucas may be singly responsible for bringing back the 69 position, which is used to spectacular effect here. (Viewers are thrilled about the return of cum eating, too….) These guys make a sensual picture lying atop one another mutually sucking, and nothing better communicates the hunger they have for one another. Afterwards, we learn that Ridge is a john, paying a hefty $300 for Lucas' services. It soon becomes clear that paying the rent and generally making ends meet is what drives Lucas to return to hustling, and also what forces him to make some key decisions, some of which have an unfortunate result.
Lucas' former "work associate" turned pimp is Ray Star (Welcome to Paradise). Through Star, we're introduced to an entire pack of unsavory types (or savory, depending on your point of view) mostly prostitutes who work under Star's unscrupulous thumb, guys like J., Jimmy Trips, and Lars Svenson, a rail-thin blond with a dangerous vibe that's palpable. With a directive from Star not to kill the clients (at least until they've paid the tab), Svenson is sent on assignment, taking care of Jason Sparks during one rough and tumble session. It's clear Svenson's specialty and trademark is aggressive role play. But as intense as these two are here, they're even more delicious pissing on one another on the extras disc.
Star continues to berate anyone and everyone who crosses his path, bitching about the business. But there are perks, like auditioning new talent (Zack Randall). With some assistance from J., Star not only finds out what kind of heat Randall is packing, but gives a firsthand demonstration of the kind of service he expects his rent boys to deliver. Star playing a bad-ass is nothing new, and he doesn't have the same appeal as his first appearance in the Audition series. But J., with his ripped up abs, is smokin' matched up with Randall, a pup with a dreamy backside and great enthusiasm for cocksucking and fucking.
When Star learns Lucas is once again turning tricks, there's a heated confrontation in a crowded restaurant. Things get particularly ugly, right up to and including the moment where Star stabs his now rival. While Lucas is left to contemplate the quality of his current relationships, the scene transitions to yet another pony in Star's stable of dudes for hire, Ben Andrews. Ben is entertaining not one, but two clients (Scott Tanner/Kurt Wild) and anyone who has seen the meat Andrews is packing knows he could simultaneously service half a dozen men and not miss a step. Taking care of two beauties like the fuzzy tanner and his buddy, Wild, is a walk in the park. And like other scenes in the film, this one contains some hidden surprises, like when Wild maneuvers his partners' feet for some enthusiastic toe sucking and foot worship.
Lucas' character continues on a downward spiral, continuing to sell precious possessions and take more risks with hustling. Meanwhile, Zack Randall is just beginning to get the hang of escorting, arriving at Arpad Miklos' (
Fire Island Cruising 6) hotel room to accommodate an exceptionally good looking client. The Miklos/Randall pairing is, without a doubt, the most passionate, most stimulating session in
Gigolo.
Miklos, no stranger to porn, manages to bring out the best in his relatively inexperienced co-star. Randall, for his part, comes back with equal zeal. With its not-so-subtle daddy/boy overtones, this encounter is easily one of the best duos Lucas has ever caught on film.
The balance of the film is solely devoted to Lucas' character arc. You'd think that since viewers already know how it all turns out (remember the corpse at the top of the flick?) it's just a matter of the big reveal, learning who strangled the hustler. But there's a twist here that viewers aren't likely to see coming. Lucas is indeed becoming more skilled at telling stories (he's always been able to nail the sex part) as evidenced by this outstanding effort. Let's hope that he continues to get his hands on good material like Gigolo.
The director's edition of Gigolo comes with a second disc entirely devoted to bonuses. Truthfully, no one does DVD extras like Michael Lucas. Along with a bonus sex scene (Jimmy Trips, Erik Grant, Anthony Marks) and some piss-soaked watersports action, the studio provides viewers with unparalleled behind-the-scenes footage, previews, and a gallery. The second disc becomes an entirely separate experience. This 2-disc set is must-have for your permanent collection, guys.
-Ian Kissler
