I didn't plan on watching this, and I didn't think I would like it. I'm not a Bernthal fan (far from it) and I didn't like the original movie. However... it was a good night to too be lazy to find the remote and turn it off. It came on and for the first few minutes I rolled my eyes a lot watching the prison cell and prison yard scenes that begin the pilot. To be fair the first five minutes are trite, boring and typical of that type of scene. Then there's a twist I didn't see coming and I found myself riveted even though the pacing took a bit to find its sea legs.
This isn't Richard Gere's American Gigolo. Not even close. The plot in the original was thin and the movie was, let's face it, more about seeing Gere without a shirt on than anything resembling edge of your seat action and suspense. This version varies a bit from the original, which is about the "gigolo" fighting to prove his innocence. This begins with Julian/John (Bernthal) being unexpectedly released from prison after confessing to a crime he doesn't remember, but isn't sure he didn't commit. (I hope this isn't considered a spoiler - it is info that is in the description).
It is overall, darker and seamier, better directed and features better cinematography and pacing than the original. I don't know if they will continue to deviate with the "storyline" of the original, but we'll see. I usually despise lots of bouncing around with timelines, but this is very well done and I didn't get lost and wonder what timeline I was in at any point. Also, the glimpses of Julian/John's past really help drive the story and help you to know who he is and why he is the way he is. The scene where he goes home to visit his mother switches back and forth seamlessly and yet I was still both revolted and sad as the director intended I be. Don't worry, if you like beefcake, there is plenty of that for all of us ladies.
I mentioned I don't much like Jon Bernthal. I never have. I have actually avoided watching him in the last few years because I found his acting coarse, and one-dimensional and every part over-acted. Put it this way: his casting in the starring role guaranteed this wasn't on my fall watch list when it otherwise would have been and if they hadn't killed him off in the Walking Dead I probably would have stopped watching. Having said that, I am seeing another side of Bernthal that is either a product of seasoning and experience, better directing, or I just missed it before.
Whatever it is, the show has promise and that elusive je ne sais quoi that makes for tv gold. We'll see...
This isn't Richard Gere's American Gigolo. Not even close. The plot in the original was thin and the movie was, let's face it, more about seeing Gere without a shirt on than anything resembling edge of your seat action and suspense. This version varies a bit from the original, which is about the "gigolo" fighting to prove his innocence. This begins with Julian/John (Bernthal) being unexpectedly released from prison after confessing to a crime he doesn't remember, but isn't sure he didn't commit. (I hope this isn't considered a spoiler - it is info that is in the description).
It is overall, darker and seamier, better directed and features better cinematography and pacing than the original. I don't know if they will continue to deviate with the "storyline" of the original, but we'll see. I usually despise lots of bouncing around with timelines, but this is very well done and I didn't get lost and wonder what timeline I was in at any point. Also, the glimpses of Julian/John's past really help drive the story and help you to know who he is and why he is the way he is. The scene where he goes home to visit his mother switches back and forth seamlessly and yet I was still both revolted and sad as the director intended I be. Don't worry, if you like beefcake, there is plenty of that for all of us ladies.
I mentioned I don't much like Jon Bernthal. I never have. I have actually avoided watching him in the last few years because I found his acting coarse, and one-dimensional and every part over-acted. Put it this way: his casting in the starring role guaranteed this wasn't on my fall watch list when it otherwise would have been and if they hadn't killed him off in the Walking Dead I probably would have stopped watching. Having said that, I am seeing another side of Bernthal that is either a product of seasoning and experience, better directing, or I just missed it before.
Whatever it is, the show has promise and that elusive je ne sais quoi that makes for tv gold. We'll see...