Even as Paul Schrader revels in opulence, he stresses the moral turpitude beneath its surface.

Stylish and deliberately alienating, the film took its lead from European arthouse rather than Hollywood.

Schrader films the action with a glossy, gliding precision, orchestrating the complications and controlling the tempo while sustaining the lurid mood with the glow of neon color and with high design—of architecture, furnishings, and clothing.

It's a Schrader thriller that gets off to an interesting start, often elevated by a certain air of sophistication injected by Gere's presence as the gigolo in trouble, but its approach lacks pulse. [Full review in Spanish]