American Gigolo S1
Director: David Hollande
Cast: Jon Bernthal, Gretchen Mol, Gabriel LaBelle, Lizzie Brocheré, Leland Orser, Rosie O’Donnel
American Gigolo (Season 1, 2022) revives the neo-noir legacy of the 1980 film in a contemporary crime drama format. Created by David Hollander, the eight-part series reimagines Julian Kaye (Jon Bernthal), now exonerated 15 years after being wrongly convicted of murder, as he rebuilds his identity in modern-day Los Angeles. As he re-enters society and the upper echelons of the male escort industry, he seeks clarity on who framed him and hopes to reunite with Michelle Stratton (Gretchen Mol), the one true love who defined his past. en.wikipedia.orggroundedreason.com
Julian’s journey is complicated by Detective Joan Sunday (Rosie O’Donnell), whose guilt over his conviction ignites a shared quest to uncover a deeper conspiracy. Gabriel LaBelle portrays a younger version of Julian, while Lizzie Brocheré plays Isabelle—a mysterious client tied to the framing. Leland Orser appears as a morally conflicted patriarchal figure. The ensemble weaves complex relationships between privilege, regret, and redemption. stan.com.au+9fr.wikipedia.org+9groundedreason.com+9
Thematically, the series probes identity, betrayal, and the interplay between commerce and intimacy. Director-anchors like Hollander and Araki lean into stylistic visual storytelling—glossy night scenes, shadowed interiors, and symbolic motifs suggest sex work as a performance and prison as both physical and psychological confinement.
Bernthal delivers a brooding, restrained performance as Julian, balancing charm with trauma. Mol’s Michelle conveys emotional distance shaped by power and survival. O’Donnell breaks through with dry wit and grounding authority as detective Sunday, often supplying levity amid moral ambiguity. Critics, while noting inconsistencies in pacing and storytelling, recognized the cast’s strengths and ambitious tone. ew.comtime.com
Production values are sleek and polished. Cinematic compositions highlight Los Angeles’s duality—sunlit glamour and underbelly grit—while editing shuttles between flashbacks and present-day revelations. A retro-tinged score underscores the series’ emotional subtext. Though its reception was mixed—Tomatometer hovering around low 30s—it remains intriguing for its character-driven narrative and noir sensibility.
In summary, American Gigolo: Season 1 offers a modern reinterpretation of its namesake, blending crime mystery, psychological depth, and noir aesthetics into a provocative tale of identity and redemption through betrayal.
American Gigolo (Season 1, 2022) revives the neo-noir legacy of the 1980 film in a contemporary crime drama format. Created by David Hollander, the eight-part series reimagines Julian Kaye (Jon Bernthal), now exonerated 15 years after being wrongly convicted of murder, as he rebuilds his identity in modern-day Los Angeles. As he re-enters society and the upper echelons of the male escort industry, he seeks clarity on who framed him and hopes to reunite with Michelle Stratton (Gretchen Mol), the one true love who defined his past. en.wikipedia.orggroundedreason.com
Julian’s journey is complicated by Detective Joan Sunday (Rosie O’Donnell), whose guilt over his conviction ignites a shared quest to uncover a deeper conspiracy. Gabriel LaBelle portrays a younger version of Julian, while Lizzie Brocheré plays Isabelle—a mysterious client tied to the framing. Leland Orser appears as a morally conflicted patriarchal figure. The ensemble weaves complex relationships between privilege, regret, and redemption. stan.com.au+9fr.wikipedia.org+9groundedreason.com+9
Thematically, the series probes identity, betrayal, and the interplay between commerce and intimacy. Director-anchors like Hollander and Araki lean into stylistic visual storytelling—glossy night scenes, shadowed interiors, and symbolic motifs suggest sex work as a performance and prison as both physical and psychological confinement.
Bernthal delivers a brooding, restrained performance as Julian, balancing charm with trauma. Mol’s Michelle conveys emotional distance shaped by power and survival. O’Donnell breaks through with dry wit and grounding authority as detective Sunday, often supplying levity amid moral ambiguity. Critics, while noting inconsistencies in pacing and storytelling, recognized the cast’s strengths and ambitious tone. ew.comtime.com
Production values are sleek and polished. Cinematic compositions highlight Los Angeles’s duality—sunlit glamour and underbelly grit—while editing shuttles between flashbacks and present-day revelations. A retro-tinged score underscores the series’ emotional subtext. Though its reception was mixed—Tomatometer hovering around low 30s—it remains intriguing for its character-driven narrative and noir sensibility.
In summary, American Gigolo: Season 1 offers a modern reinterpretation of its namesake, blending crime mystery, psychological depth, and noir aesthetics into a provocative tale of identity and redemption through betrayal.