Independent Films, Film Profiles

Gigli
by Martin_Brest

Gigli (pronounced jee-lee) is a film released in 2003 which was written and directed by Martin Brest, starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Lainie Kazan. The film was highly anticipated because Affleck and Lopez, the film's stars, were romantically involved at the time. However, the critical reception of the film was very poor and the film gained the reputation of being one of the worst movies ever made.Larry Gigli (Affleck) is a low-ranking mobster who is commanded to kidnap the mentally challenged, Baywatch-obsessed younger brother (Justin Bartha) of a powerful federal prosecutor to save his mobster boss from prison. Gigli successfully convinces the young man, Brian, to go off with him by promising to take him "to the Baywatch." However, Gigli's boss, Louis (Lenny Venito), does not trust him; he hires a woman calling herself Ricki (Jennifer Lopez) to take over the job.Although Gigli is attracted to Ricki, he resents the fact that Louis does not have faith in him and that he has to take orders from Ricki. He is also frustrated by Brian's insistence on going to "the Baywatch" and by Ricki's lesbianism. The events take a darker turn when Larry and Ricki receive orders to cut off Brian's thumb, something neither of them wants to do.Ricki's girlfriend (Missy Crider) shows up at Gigli's apartment, accusing her of cheating. She slits a wrist and has to be rushed to the hospital. While at the hospital, Gigli goes to the morgue and cuts off a corpse's thumb, which he sends to his boss as Brian's thumb. Gigli and Ricki go back to his apartment and Gigli confesses his love, leading to a sexual encounter between them.Afterwards, they are called to meet with the mob's boss. Starkman (Al Pacino) reveals that he didn't approve of the plan to kidnap a federal prosecutor's brother and scolds them because the thumb they sent won't match Brian's fingerprint. He shoots Gigli's superior Louis dead. Starkman is about to kill Ricki and Gigli as well, but Ricki talks him out of it. They decide to take Brian back to where they found him. On the way, they discover Baywatch shooting an episode on the beach and leave a happy Brian there.