A French Gigolo

The title might make you think you're in for something raunchy, but Josiane Balasko's bittersweet film is anything but. Thirty-year-old Marco (Eric Caravaca) is the gigolo in question and he services his clients -- older, wealthy women -- with impeccable professionalism. He gives them what they want; he makes them happy. At night, he goes home to his wife Fanny (Isabelle Carré) and Fanny's mother (Catherine Hiegel) and Fanny's punk younger sister Karine (Marilou Berry). He gives this brood of tempestuous women presents and pays the rent. They, too, are happy.

That is until Fanny discovers her husband's true profession. She wants him to stop working and that is precisely what Marco does: the fancy presents stop, and the phone bill goes unpaid, and the mortgage payments on her salon cannot be met. Then Fanny wants her devoted husband to go back to work again -- only this time, on her terms.

Oh, if it were only so simple. One of Marco's clients is Judith (Nathalie Baye), a fifty-one-year-old independent woman who lives with her sister Irene (Josiane Balasko), has her own television show, and is pragmatic about paying for sex. As fans of French film understand: this is Nathalie Baye, one of France's best actresses and a great beauty. As Marco says repeatedly, he feels good when he is with Judith. Who wouldn't?

Balasko's A French Gigolo is not raunchy, nor is it predictable. The film does not dwell on morality; no one is right, no one is wrong, but everyone is vulnerable.

A French Gigolo was a box office hit in its native France and debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. In the U.S., the film will make a modest debut as part of the IFC Festival Direct program. It's available for download beginning November 4, 2009.

A French Gigolo

Starring: Nathalie Baye, Eric Caravaca, Isabelle Carre, Josiane Balasko, Marilou Berry Directed by: Josiane Balasko
Produced by: Cyril Colbeau-Justin, Jean-Baptiste Dupont