There’s little point in comparing Showtime’s “American Gigolo” with the cult film of the same name — the new series borrows the basic premise of Paul Schrader’s exceptionally stylish neo-noir, along with a few characters, then sets them adrift in a rote crime drama. Where the original “American Gigolo” captured the excess of the 1980s while presenting a captivating portrait of loneliness, its supposed sequel struggles to find purpose or even settle on a tone in its first three episodes.Â
So, thank God and/or casting director Wendy O’Brien for placing Jon Bernthal, who’s already turned in one extraordinarily kinetic performance this year, at the center of this otherwise meandering murder mystery.