Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigolo

Reviewed by: Brad D. Francis
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Very Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults
Genre: Comedy
Length: 1 hr. 30 min.
Year of Release: 1999
USA Release:
Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider
Featuring Rob Schneider, Arija Bareikis, William Forsythe, Eddie Griffin, Oded Fehr
Director Mike Mitchell
Producer Sid Ganis, Barry Bernardi
Distributor Distributor: Touchstone Pictures (a division of Disney). Trademark logo.Touchstone Pictures, a division of Walt Disney Studios

This movie has no shame in playing to its intended audience: essentially, fans of Adam Sandler and his films. “Deuce Bigalow” is the brainchild of Sandler’s film production company. you’ll probably recognize the star from a number of Sandler movies (such as “The Waterboy” and “Big Daddy”): Rob Schneider. If you like movies of his genre, usually involving a lot of sexual innuendo, you may like “Deuce”. If you don’t like them, avoid this one.

Scene from Deuce Bigalow

Schneider stars as a down-on-his-luck fish tank cleaner. However, things begin to turn around when he gets the opportunity to fish-sit for a male prostitute, or “man-whore.” One thing leads to another and Deuce ends up having to raise a whole lot of money in not-so-much time. So what’s the solution? Well, why not do a bit of man-whoring himself? Unfortunately, he can’t score the high brow sort of clients as his predecessor but ends up with some others: a conceited plus (way plus) sizer who can’t stop eating, a woman with Turret’s syndrome, a woman so tall her head doesn’t even appear on camera and a woman with narcolepsy (“I’ve always wanted to try soup,” she says, “but there’s the fear of drowning.”)

For a movie about a male prostitute, “Deuce” has a surprising number of plusses. Although he’s being paid to “show them pleasure,” Deuce never even sleeps with a woman for pay, preferring to simply make them feel special about themselves through other, more honorable means. He can’t bring himself to have sex with a woman without meaning. Also, there were a relatively few number of profanities in this movie compared to most R-rated comedies. Plus, the parts that invoke a little romantic comedy are sweet, and promote values like forgiveness.

Still, there are a predictable number of grievances that Christians will have with this movie. Obviously, the subject matter throughout the film spurs a good deal of sexual innuendo. In addition, “Deuce” does end up bedding one woman (although it is not for pay) and they are not married. Plus, there is some bathroom humor. Literally. One should remember most of all, though, that this is a movie about sex. What you see is what you get, and not many surprises are found.

“Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo” is predictable, though admittedly funny at times. However, for the vast majority of Christians this is one to avoid.

See review page for the sequel to this movie: Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005)


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
for more clarification: …As to calling the movie predictable, I wasn’t referring to content so much as plotline. Once you get the general gist of the movie, there aren’t too many surprises. There is a court hearing scene near the end of the movie, for example, that goes probably exactly like any of us could predict from seeing the movie ’till that point. That’s all I mean by predictable, not unenjoyable. I thought “Bone Collector” was predictable too.
…I was surprised at the number of positive points in the movie but that didn’t change the number of negative points. As I was reviewing this movie for a Christian audience, I had an obligation to point out that there was a good deal of content that went against Biblical standards (one character’s obsession with the girth of his genitalia, for example). From a God-honoring, Biblical perspective, yeah I think most Christians are going to want to avoid this movie, just so it doesn’t offend them.
Brad Francis, reviewer
Skip it—don’t take your kids to see it! WWJD is not the theme here! My Ratings: [1½/1½]
Chris Handley, age 36
A surprisingly funny flick, I enjoyed “Deuce” more than I thought I would. I happen to be a fan of most of Sandler’s movies and wasn’t shocked to find out he produced this one. The movie had far fewer sex scenes than I had predicted it would have (one as a matter of fact). “He doesn’t get around much for a prostitute”… It is a must see for Sandler genre followers and for people who don’t mind a little sexual inuendo. My Ratings: [2/3½]
Clayton, age 25, non-Christian
I personally thought this movie was awesome! Anyone who thought this movie wasn’t good then they have no sense of humor whatsoever! My Ratings: [3/5]
Kady Brown, age 15, non-Christian
Just don’t. Don’t bother. Just go see something else. Anything else. The only remotely interesting parts were parodies of “The Matrix.” Don’t let your kids go—I am not one to preach morals at the movies, but just make sure they see GOOD movies as well as Christianity-friendly ones. This is neither. My Ratings: [1/1]
Joe Foster, age 20, non-Christian