Gigli Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A mobster, a lesbian, and a mentally challenged guy walk into a Baywatch set, and somehow, everyone’s love lives get even more confusing.

🍿 Gigli: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Kidnapping Brian

Larry Gigli, a low-level mobster, is tasked with kidnapping Brian, the mentally challenged brother of a federal prosecutor, to pressure the prosecutor into dropping charges against Gigli’s boss. Gigli manages to coax Brian away from his care facility with promises of “Baywatch,” leading Brian to believe they are going to the set of the popular TV show.

Enter Ricki

Gigli’s boss, Louis, distrusts Gigli’s abilities and hires Ricki, a lesbian contract killer, to oversee the job. Ricki arrives at Gigli’s apartment, immediately establishing her authority and making it clear that she’s in charge. Gigli, initially resentful of having to take orders from a woman, finds himself attracted to Ricki.

Complications and Relationships

As Gigli, Ricki, and Brian are confined together, relationships begin to form. Gigli tries to seduce Ricki, but she rebuffs his advances, stating her sexual orientation. Gigli also finds himself increasingly frustrated by Brian’s antics and Tourette’s syndrome. Their situation is further complicated by a visit from Detective Jacobellis, who suspects Gigli’s involvement in Brian’s disappearance.

Thumb Incident

Gigli and Ricki receive orders to cut off Brian’s thumb. Ricki’s ex-girlfriend, Robin, shows up and ends up attempting suicide by slitting her wrists. Gigli sneaks into a morgue to cut off a thumb from a corpse to send to the prosecutor as Brian’s.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Larry Gigli (Ben Affleck): A low-ranking mobster who is assigned to kidnap the mentally challenged brother of a federal prosecutor.
• Ricki (Jennifer Lopez): A lesbian assassin sent to oversee Gigli’s kidnapping job and ensure its success.
• Brian (Justin Bartha): The intellectually-disabled brother of a district attorney, kidnapped by Gigli.
• Starkman (Al Pacino): A New York-based mob boss who is the reason for Brian’s kidnapping.
• Louis (Lenny Venito): A higher-ranking member of Gigli’s organization who orders the kidnapping.
• Det. Stanley Jacobellis (Christopher Walken): A suspicious detective who questions Gigli about Brian’s disappearance.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Ricki: “It’s turkey time. Gobble, gobble.” – Ricki says this to Gigli, seemingly as a signal or code phrase, though its meaning is never truly clear and is widely mocked.
• Gigli: “The rip that tears the past.” – Gigli awkwardly attempts to explain an emotional revelation, but the phrasing is nonsensical and unintentionally humorous.
• Ricki: “It’s more erotic to kiss a vagina than a penis.” – Ricki makes this statement during a conversation with Gigli, expressing her lesbian identity and preferences.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $54,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $6,087,542
• Worldwide Gross: $7,266,209

💥 Gigli Reviews

Personal Review

Oh boy, Gigli. I went in expecting a train wreck, and I got a full-on demolition derby. The dialogue is just…wow. I can’t stop laughing and cringing at the same time. The scene with the turkey call is forever burned in my brain. I felt bad for Walken and Pacino, stuck in this mess. Somehow it’s so bad it’s almost fascinating. Almost.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of so-bad-it’s-good movies”
  • “Those curious about infamous films”
  • “Viewers interested in early Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez collaborations”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Strong language”
  • “Violence”
  • “Suggestive dialogue”
  • “Mature themes”
  • “Depiction of intellectual disability”

Professional Reviews

• Rotten Tomatoes: “Gigli is a mess of bad writing, awkward performances, and bizarre plot twists that never gels into anything resembling entertainment. The chemistry between Affleck and Lopez is non-existent, making the ‘romance’ feel forced.
• Metacritic: “A bizarre, incoherent, and utterly charmless film. Gigli attempts to be a quirky crime caper but fails on every level. The dialogue is atrocious, and the characters are completely unlikable.
• Ebert & Roeper: “Roger Ebert described it as ‘one of the worst movies I have ever seen’ and Roeper agreed citing poor writing and a lack of chemistry, and the exploitative use of a character with mental disabilities

Audience Reactions

The sheer audacity of the terrible dialogue is unintentionally hilarious.: Many viewers found the film so bad that it became a source of ironic enjoyment, noting the unintentional comedy.

Christopher Walken’s cameo is bizarrely entertaining.: Some audience members appreciated the brief appearances of veteran actors like Walken and Pacino, although they were often seen as wasted potential.

Overall Consensus: Gigli is widely regarded as one of the worst films ever made, criticized for its poor writing, awkward performances, and lack of chemistry between the leads. It has become a cult classic for all the wrong reasons.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Gigli is often cited as one of the worst films ever made, and its negative reception significantly impacted the careers of its stars, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, as well as writer-director Martin Brest.”
• “The intense media scrutiny surrounding Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s real-life relationship (dubbed “Bennifer”) heavily influenced the film’s reception.”
• “Early test screenings of the film were so poorly received that the studio made significant changes before its release.”

🖥️ How to Watch Gigli?

As of October 2024, Gigli is available for rent or purchase on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu. Check your local listings for cable on-demand options. Physical copies (DVD, Blu-ray) may also be available from online retailers.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Gigli, you might like these similar films:

• Swept Away (2002): Shares the dubious honor of being a poorly received romantic comedy starring a celebrity couple (Madonna and Guy Ritchie) and directed by one of them.
• Showgirls (1995): Like Gigli, Showgirls became a cult classic for all the wrong reasons, being both unintentionally hilarious and critically panned.
• Ishtar (1987): A similarly infamous box-office bomb that starred major celebrities (Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman) and became synonymous with Hollywood excess and failure.

🛒 Gigli Related Products

• Bennifer: The Untold Story: A digital documentary exploring the intense media scrutiny and behind-the-scenes drama surrounding Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez during the making of Gigli.
• Gigli: The Board Game of Bad Decisions: A strategy game where players compete to make the worst possible decisions to sabotage the movie’s production. Featuring absurd scenarios and terrible dialogue prompts.
• Al Pacino ‘Starkman’ Bobblehead: A limited-edition bobblehead featuring Al Pacino as the mob boss Starkman. Celebrate one of the few salvageable aspects of the film.
• Official ‘Turkey Time’ T-Shirt: A t-shirt featuring the iconic (and infamous) ‘Turkey Time’ quote from the movie. A conversation starter for those who dare to wear it.

🎧 Soundtrack

Gigli features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Demagogue” – performed by Urban Dance Squad

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

How BAD is GIGLI???

Ever wondered just *how* bad ‘Gigli’ actually is? This review dives deep into the movie’s shortcomings, so you can understand why it’s considered one of the worst. Prepare for some major cringe!

Gigli (2003) – “It’s Turkey Time. Gobble Gobble.” (Now in HD)

Remember that bizarre ‘Turkey Time’ scene from ‘Gigli’ that everyone talks about? Well, here it is in all its HD glory! I dare you to watch it and not cringe a little (or a lot!).

Ben Affleck Tells Matt Damon How He Feels About ‘Gigli’ Now | Entertainment Weekly

Ben Affleck finally opens up about ‘Gigli’ and why it flopped! Listening to him and Matt Damon discuss it is actually pretty insightful. It makes you wonder what they were thinking at the time!

Everything GREAT About Gigli!

Can you believe someone found ANYTHING good about ‘Gigli’? This video hilariously points out the positives (or at least attempts to). You might be surprised (or not)!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=wFTRIGuyNpo

✨ Rate