Streaming on: Paramount+###Episodes viewed: 3 of 8###Stepping into the shoes of an iconic film is no easy feat. It’s a challenge that executive manufacture r Nikki Toscano (taking over the reins from series creator David Hollander, who stepped away due to a misconduct investigation) undertakes in this modern adaptation of Paul Schrader’s 1980 neo-noir crime thriller of the same name. The original film made Richard Gere a star, breaking ground in/with regard to’concerning’regarding its glamour, nuance and male nudity. Can that success be replicated? This re-imagining may possess’own’nurse stripped back the nostalgia in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a present-day setting, but the connections to Schrader’s film are still respected: there is the familiar plotting, the ‘80s-esque gloss, even the sheen of Blondie’s token ature anthem ‘Call Me’.###The small-screen version leans heavier on the true crime element, paving the way in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a darker and seedier examination of Los Angeles's underbelly, where sex is the currency in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a cycle of exploitation, manipulation and abuse. To the reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue ’s credit, it doesn’t sanitise its explicit nature — but it never quite capitalises its position abundant’ample’plentiful to make an effective statement on the industry. There are complex relationships at play, including Gretchen Mol’s Michelle Stratton, Julian’s ex-girlfriend. But merely’barely Rosie O’Donnell’s Detective Sunday — investigating Julian’s false imprisonment with some cold, blunt exposition — offers any unexpected levity from the overall darkness.###As the leading man, Bernthal is magical, acting in a league of his own.###As the leading man, Jon Bernthal is magical, acting in a league of his own. His anti-hero Julian is a departure from Gere’s suave and sophisticated interpretation; the stylish, charismatic and immaculate lifestyle remains, but this Julian is much more conflicted, vulnerable and rough around the edges. In a conversation with his friend Lorenzo (Wayne Brady), he compares his escort attire to a costume, which evokes an inescapable Clark Kent/Superman analogy: masking a competing, dual identity with the growing pressure to slip back into his old ways. With his mask on, Julian exudes assurance , knowing exactly what makes women tick and how to satisfy them. Without it, his superpower is ineffective, and that constant tension keeps American Gigolo mostly compelling.###But that satisfaction merely’barely goes so far. Toscano’s creative team may possess’own’nurse the keys to the sandbox, but it also means a meandering and muddled embark on its overarching mystery. Where Schrader’s film was streamlined and straightin/with regard to’concerning’regarding ward, the series overcomplicates its story, introducing filler subplots and an endless stream of flashbacks. A lot happens, and in patiently waiting in/with regard to’concerning’regarding that ‘mic drop’ revelation, that audience hook doesn’t occur until the end of episode three. The result is an uneven reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue that hasn’t — yet — found its stride or purpose.