''Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo'' is a 2005 American
crime
In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...
sex comedy film
Sexual comedy (also known as, sex comedy and erotic comedy) is a genre in which comedy is motivated by sexual situations and love affairs. Although "sexual comedy" is primarily a description of dramatic forms such as theatre and film, literary wor ...
directed by Mike Bigelow from a screenplay by
Rob Schneider
Robert Michael Schneider ( ; born October 31, 1963) is an American actor and comedian. He rose to prominence as a cast member on NBC's ''Saturday Night Live'' (1990–1994), where he earned three Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
Following ...
,
David Garrett
David Garrett Christian Bongartz (born 4 September 1980), known by his stage name David Garrett, is a German classical and crossover violinist and recording artist.
Early life
When Garrett was four years old his father purchased a violin f ...
, and Jason Ward. The film is the sequel to ''
Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo'' (1999) and stars Schneider (reprising his role from the first film),
Eddie Griffin
Edward Rubin Griffin (born July 15, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is best known for portraying Eddie Sherman in the sitcom '' Malcolm & Eddie'', the title character in the 2002 comedy film '' Undercover Brother'', and Tib ...
,
Til Schweiger
Tilman Valentin Schweiger (; born 19 December 1963) is a German actor and filmmaker. He became known in the 1990s for films such as '' Manta, Manta'', '' Der bewegte Mann'' and '' Knockin' on Heaven's Door''. He went on to star in international ...
, and
Jeroen Krabbé
Jeroen Aart Krabbé (; born 5 December 1944) is a Dutch actor, film director and painter with a successful career in both Dutch- and English-language films. He is best known to international audiences for his leading roles in the Paul Verhoeven ...
. The plot involves
male prostitute
Male prostitution is a form of sex work consisting of the act or practice of men providing sexual services in return for payment. Although clients can be of any gender, the vast majority are older males looking to fulfill their sexual needs. M ...
Deuce Bigalow visiting his former pimp T.J. in
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
, and looking for a murderer who is killing the greatest "man-whores" of Europe.
''Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo'' was released in the United States on August 12, 2005, by
Sony Pictures Releasing
Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group (formerly known as the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group until 2013, and abbreviated as SPMPG) is a division of Sony Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment to manage its motion picture operatio ...
through the
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...
label. The film received negative reviews for its crude humor, lack of originality and poor execution and earned less money than its predecessor, grossing over $45 million worldwide against a $22 million budget. It was also nominated for
Worst Picture
The Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture is a prize at the annual Razzies to the worst film of the past year. Over the 45 ceremonies that have taken place, 232 films have been nominated for Worst Picture, with three ties resulting in 48 winn ...
at the
26th Golden Raspberry Awards
The 26th Golden Raspberry Awards, or Razzies, were held on March 4, 2006, at the Ivar Theatre in Hollywood, California to honor the worst films the film industry had to offer in 2005. The nominations for the Golden Raspberry Awards were announce ...
, while Schneider won
Worst Actor.
Plot
Former
gigolo
A gigolo ( ) is a male escort, call boy or social companion who is supported by a person in a continuing relationship.
The term ''gigolo'' usually implies a man who adopts a lifestyle consisting of a number of such relationships serially rat ...
Deuce Bigalow, recently widowed after his wife Kate is killed in a
shark attack
A shark attack is an attack on a human by a shark. Every year, around 80 unprovoked attacks are reported worldwide. Despite their rarity, many people fear shark attacks after occasional serial attacks, such as the Jersey Shore shark attacks of ...
, is invited by his former
pimp
Procuring, pimping, or pandering is the facilitation or provision of a prostitute or other sex worker in the arrangement of a sex act with a customer. A procurer, colloquially called a pimp (if male) or a madam (if female, though the term "pimp" ...
T.J. to
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
. There, he learns that European gigolos are being murdered by a "Man-whore Killer" with T.J.'s employee Lil' Kim quitting to avoid being killed.
Deuce finds German gigolo Heinz Hummer asleep in an alley behind a
coffee shop; believing he is
high
High may refer to:
Science and technology
* Height
* High (atmospheric), a high-pressure area
* High (computability), a quality of a Turing degree, in computability theory
* High (tectonics), in geology an area where relative tectonic uplift t ...
, Deuce takes him to T.J.'s boat. After realizing Hummer is dead, T.J. prepares to dump the body in the river but decides to confirm Hummer's reputation of being well-endowed by examining Hummer's penis; T.J. is photographed during the act and becomes the primary homicide suspect. Deuce is apprehended and interviewed by Gaspar Voorsboch, a police inspector.
When Deuce is released, T.J., now in disguise, convinces Deuce to find the killer by becoming a gigolo again. Former gigolo Antoine gives Deuce a client list but is murdered; T.J. is again photographed at the scene. Deuce and T.J. visit the first client on the list, and while Deuce distracts the woman, T.J. discovers lipstick that matches the kind found on the dead gigolos. Deuce gives Gaspar the lipstick, who dismisses it.
Deuce meets Gaspar's niece, Eva, who suffers from extreme
obsessive–compulsive disorder
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder in which an individual has intrusive thoughts (an ''obsession'') and feels the need to perform certain routines (''Compulsive behavior, compulsions'') repeatedly to relieve the dis ...
. Deuce continues to investigate different women from Antoine's list including Lily, who speaks through an
electrolarynx
An electrolarynx, sometimes referred to as a "throat back", is a medical device used to produce clearer speech by those people who have lost their voice box, usually due to cancer of the larynx. The most common device is a handheld, battery-oper ...
after a
laryngectomy
Laryngectomy is the removal of the larynx. In a total laryngectomy, the entire larynx is removed (including the vocal folds, hyoid bone, epiglottis, thyroid and cricoid cartilage and a few tracheal cartilage rings) with the separation of the a ...
, and Svetlana, who has a penis for a nose after being raised in
Chernobyl
Chernobyl, officially called Chornobyl, is a partially abandoned city in Vyshhorod Raion, Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine. It is located within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, to the north of Kyiv and to the southwest of Gomel in neighbouring Belarus. ...
. Deuce and T.J. infiltrate the European gigolo office, where the Man-whore Killer murders another gigolo; T.J. is arrested when he is caught at the scene again.
Deuce visits Eva's apartment and discovers items used by the Man-whore Killer. Deuce confides his suspicions to Gaspar but is again dismissed. However, Gaspar reveals to Eva that he is the Man-whore Killer; he locks her up and prepares to frame her. An unsuspecting Deuce then rides with Gaspar to the "Man-Whore Awards" ceremony under the guise of protecting the gigolos.
Eva escapes and tries to warn Deuce. However, Gaspar holds Deuce at gunpoint and reveals he was once a hopeful gigolo who was humiliated when another gigolo had sex with his fiancé; Gaspar was so distraught he accidentally injured himself with a
penis pump
Penis enlargement, or male enhancement, is any technique aimed to increase the size of a human penis. Some methods aim to increase total length, others the shaft's girth, and yet others the glans and foreskin size. Techniques include surgery, ...
. Gaspar reveals that he plans to kill all the European gigolos with a bomb.
Deuce evacuates the building and engages in a sword fight with Gaspar, during which he mentions non-sexual romantic ways of pleasing a woman; his words move the crowd. Gaspar defeats Deuce, but before he can detonate the bomb, Lily and Svetlana distract Gaspar; Deuce gains control of the detonator and is awarded the "Golden Boner" for his bravery. When he kisses Eva, Deuce accidentally sets off the bomb, but no one is injured. Deuce and Eva pick up a newly freed T.J., who tells them that he is entering a brand-new market: homosexual prostitution.
A post-script reveals that T.J. stops gay man-whoring and becomes a rapper called MC Extra Nipple where he didn't make any records and was shot several times. Deuce and Eva got married where they are expecting twin gigolos. Gaspar became a gigolo in prison....against his will. Lil' Kim had a penis enlargement which is now 4 inches wide. Svetlana marries a man with a vagina for a face where everyone vomited uncontrollably. Kate's prosthetic leg is turned into a
bong
A bong (also known as a water pipe) is a filtration device generally used for smoking cannabis, tobacco, or other herbal substances. In the bong shown in the photo, the smoke flows from the lower port on the left to the upper port on the right ...
by an old Dutch woman.
Cast
The film also includes cameos by
Elisabetta Canalis
Elisabetta Canalis (; born 12 September 1978) is an Italian actress and showgirl.
Early life
Canalis was born in Sassari, Sardinia, in Italy. Her father, Cesare, is a clinical Radiology, radiologist at the University of Sassari, and her mother, ...
as a castle lady and Dutch actress
Chantal Janzen
Chantal Janzen (; born 15 February 1979) is a Dutch actress, singer and TV presenter. She had parts in ''The Preacher (film), The Preacher'', ''Full Moon Party (film), Full Moon Party'' and ''Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo'' and presented ''Idols ...
as a Scandinavian porn star.
Wes Takahashi
Wes Ford Takahashi is an American visual effects animator and animation supervisor who has worked for motion picture visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic. He is known for his special effects work on numerous films; his efforts includ ...
, former animator and visual effects supervisor for
Industrial Light & Magic
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is an American Film, motion picture visual effects, computer animation and stereo conversion digital studio founded by George Lucas on May 26, 1975. It is a division of the film production company Lucasfilm, which Lu ...
, makes a cameo appearance as a news reporter, and
Katie Downes appears as a widow cleaner lady.
Production
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
through their
Touchstone Pictures
Touchstone Pictures was an American film distribution label of Walt Disney Studios, founded and owned by The Walt Disney Company. Feature films released under the Touchstone label were produced and financed by Walt Disney Studios, and featured ...
label declined to produce the sequel, deeming it inappropriate for a PG-13 rating, as they aimed to avoid the R rating of the original film. Consequently, the film was picked up by
Sony Pictures
Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio conglomerate that produces, acquires, and distributes filmed entertainment (theatrical motion pictures, television programs, and rec ...
, which retained the distribution rights.
Disney however retained 5% of the film's box office gross. To promote the film, Sony organized a "Man-Whore of the Year" contest in collaboration with
Maxim
Maxim or Maksim may refer to:
Entertainment
*Maxim (magazine), ''Maxim'' (magazine), an international men's magazine
** Maxim (Australia), ''Maxim'' (Australia), the Australian edition
** Maxim (India), ''Maxim'' (India), the Indian edition
*Maxim ...
, held in Las Vegas.
Eddie Griffin verified in an interview that "a really old stuffed cat" was used during the cat scene.
Reception
Box office
The film earned $9.6 million on its opening weekend and debuted in 3,127 theaters. The film grossed $22.4 million in North America and $22.9 million in international markets, grossing $45.3 million worldwide.
[
]
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
''Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo'' has an approval rating of 9% based on reviews from 98 critics, with an average rating of 3.60/10. The site's consensus states: "A witless follow-up to the surprise 1999 hit, ''Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo'' is raunchy, politically incorrect, and not particularly funny." On Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
the film has a score of 23% based on reviews from 25 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews. Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore
CinemaScore is an American market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts from the data.
Background
Ed Mintz, who ...
gave the film a grade C+.
Michael Rechtshaffen of The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
wrote: "Every bit as vulgar, sophomoric and thoroughly tasteless as 1999's Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo. But what is most annoying is the sequel's capability of inducing laughter even as one hates oneself for so easily succumbing to the total silliness of it all."
Robert Koehler of Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
called it "Rude, crude and, uh, cosmopolitan, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo waves the flag for R-rated politically incorrect studio comedy but doesn't top the laugh ratio of the first Deuce misadventure."
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert ( ; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American Film criticism, film critic, film historian, journalist, essayist, screenwriter and author. He wrote for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. Eber ...
gave the film a rare "zero star" rating, calling it "aggressively bad, as if it wants to cause suffering to the audience", and describing it as "completely beneath contempt" on his show '' Ebert & Roeper''. He ranked it as the worst film of 2005, and ultimately included the movie in his most hated films list. Also on ''Ebert & Roeper'', Richard Roeper
Richard E. Roeper (born October 17, 1959) is an American writer. He is a former columnist and film critic for the '' Chicago Sun-Times'', where he wrote for 39 years dating back to 1986 until his departure in 2025. He co-hosted the television s ...
called the film "the cinematic equivalent of a bunch of 13-year-old boys in a locker room repeating dirty phrases they've just learned" and "dead on arrival."
Ebert also chastised Rob Schneider for his overly zealous defense of the series, referring to an incident in which ''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' critic Patrick Goldstein
Patrick Goldstein is an American former film critic and columnist for the ''Los Angeles Times'' who wrote about movies in a column titled ''The Big Picture''. Colleague Tom O'Neil described him as the newspaper's "chief Oscarologist" as his colum ...
called Schneider a "third-rate comic." Schneider responded by calling Goldstein a "third-rate, unfunny pompous reporter" in a full-page open letter published in ''Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' and ''The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
''. Schneider further claimed that Goldstein was unqualified to review the film since he was not a Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...
-winning journalist. Ebert, having won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
The Pulitzer Prize for Criticism has been presented since 1970 to a newspaper writer in the United States who has demonstrated 'distinguished criticism'. Recipients of the award are chosen by an independent board and officially administered by C ...
in 1975, took it upon himself to criticize Schneider in his own review: "Speaking in my official capacity as a Pulitzer Prize winner, Mr. Schneider, your movie sucks." The quote "your movie sucks" would later become the title of a book published by Ebert compiling reviews of films he had awarded below two stars.
Ebert and Schneider ultimately settled their differences, and Schneider sent his well wishes to Ebert during his recovery from thyroid cancer
Thyroid cancer is cancer that develops from the tissues of the thyroid gland. It is a disease in which cells grow abnormally and have the potential to spread to other parts of the body. Symptoms can include swelling or a lump in the neck, ...
. Ebert responded, "Rob Schneider might (in my opinion) have made a bad movie. He is not a bad man." After Ebert's death, in a letter to his widow Chaz, Schneider admitted that the situation caused him to "reassess what pictures I really wanted to make."
Schneider, years later, would admit in retrospect he was disappointed with the film, feeling it lacked the "heart" of the first installment.
Accolades
The film was nominated for five Golden Raspberry Awards
The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies and Razzie Awards) is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic failures. Co-founded by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy, the Razzi ...
, including Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, Worst Remake or Sequel and Worst Screen Couple (Rob Schneider and his diapers) with Schneider winning Worst Actor.
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Deuce Bigalow 2
2005 films
2005 directorial debut films
2000s American films
2005 crime comedy films
2000s English-language films
2000s serial killer films
2000s sex comedy films
American crime comedy films
American sequel films
American serial killer films
American sex comedy films
Columbia Pictures films
Films about gigolos
Films about prostitution in the Netherlands
Films about secret societies
Films produced by Adam Sandler
Films produced by Jack Giarraputo
Films scored by James L. Venable
Films set in Amsterdam
Films set in Malibu, California
Films shot in Amsterdam
Films shot in Spain
Films with screenplays by Rob Schneider
Golden Raspberry Award–winning films
Happy Madison Productions films
Stoner films
English-language crime comedy films
English-language sex comedy films