John Turturro’s fifth film as director comes with a gilt-edged premise: Woody Allen as a would-be pimp, touting Turturro’s reluctant gigolo to horny Manhattan housewives (led by Sharon Stone).
It’s tailor-made for Allen; not only is he as funny as he’s been in years, he and Turturro make a wonderful double act, lacing a seedy-sounding script with warmth and humour.
Less successful is the muddled subplot involving Liev Schreiber as a Jewish cop and Vanessa Paradis as the girl that he/Turturro both have feelings for.
But for Allen fans, this is a flashback to past glories.
