Editor’s Notes: The Last Gigolos is currently out in limited release.
Directed by Stephan Bergmann, The Last Gigolos is a German film set on the MS Deutschland cruise ship documenting a group of seniors vacationing together, with most of the gentlemen being paid to spend time with the ladies.
In the cruise journey, men discuss tips on interacting with women, women talk to each other about love and commitment, while there are occasional voiceovers explaining the personal lives of a few subjects. Days are filled with sun bathing on the decks, afternoons with lunches while dancing and wining in the nights. Towards the end of the film we see the seniors going back to the humdrum of their homes on land. Intercepted with a lot of compassion, nonchalance and suave style the film touches upon topics such as human nature, marriage, and forming connections through the eyes of the seniors.
Intercepted with a lot of compassion, nonchalance and suave style the film touches upon topics such as human nature, marriage, and forming connections through the eyes of the seniors.
The cinematography may seem slow but it is clean cut and somehow matches the people and places presented in the film - soft, direct, and classy. Some of the dreamy sequences could almost be a photo-shoot in motion featuring charming old couples. Luxurious cruise ship, breath-taking views, calm sunrays on the decks, flowing one pieces of the women, love in the air, this film will make you long for a no hassle vacation. This seems like a solid piece of work that has accurately captured the nuances of the people, their style, and supported by a perfect mixture of spontaneous conversations and planned narrations.
Director Stephan Bergmann masterfully presents these gentleman beautifully, youthful in their mind and sophisticated in their simplicity.
The subjects in the film are incredibly real and voice their thoughts honestly. While it is disarming to watch charming old men doing push ups and arranging their outfits for the ladies, It is also a little unsettling when you realize this is all it takes to woo a woman? Yet director Stephan Bergmann masterfully presents these gentleman beautifully, youthful in their mind and sophisticated in their simplicity. The different narrators also sound experienced and their commentary is accompanied with a seriousness. Their goal is to be authentic, and to just provide joy to the people they meet.
Are they being superficial? Or is this retirement – German style? In the 21st century world where anything can be bought, commercializing companionship and love can be called an acceptable part of the society though mostly reserved for the youth. Thus it is refreshing to see how the senior members of a society are also assimilating in such practices. In other words, hell yeah where the boys at, let’s party yo. The film gives their perspective on things that a young adult may take for granted, or claim are unnecessary, such as marriage and commitment, and how they are important for somebody who is used to human interactions and comradeship. If you are curious about what life looks like when you age, your spouse has departed, and you have a lot of money saved up, then this film might provide a glimpse.
May leave a lot to be desired in terms of excitement, but that’s a part of the charm. Brace yourself for some old school flirting as well as self-pity when you realize a grandma in Germany is possibly having a better life than you.
